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Screaming Beans (Runstraat / Utrechtsestraat / Waterlooplein)

A creatively driven coffee brand in Amsterdam Centrum with cafés on Runstraat, Utrechtsestraat, and Waterlooplein. With the Whisper Blend, monthly rotating single origins, art, and community events, sustainable packaging, and B2B growth, Screaming Beans serves as the daily fuel for makers and thinkers.

Coffee roaster at Screaming Beans (Runstraat / Utrechtsestraat / Waterlooplein)


Coffee beans at Screaming Beans (Runstraat / Utrechtsestraat / Waterlooplein)


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About Screaming Beans (Runstraat / Utrechtsestraat / Waterlooplein)


Overview

Screaming Beans is a creatively driven coffee brand in Amsterdam Centrum, with cafés located at Runstraat 6, Utrechtsestraat 75, and Waterlooplein 129. The founders hail from the media and creative sectors, which explains the brand's focus on honesty, transparency, inclusivity, and creativity. They view coffee as the fuel for 'Eureka' moments, creating a meeting place for makers and thinkers. The result is an accessible style, a strong focus on the product, and a program that bridges the gap between quality and community.

Locations and Space Experience

Since 2018, Runstraat 6 has served as the flagship in De 9 Straatjes, designed to feel like a second living room for locals and visitors alike. The space feels warm and personal, with service that balances speed and attention to detail. This makes the shop perfect for quick stops, as well as longer sessions with a laptop or notebook.
Utrechtsestraat 75 opened in 2023 and features a brick bar and a quiet seating area. The back of the shop serves as an exhibition space for art and community shows, further strengthening its creative profile. The atmosphere encourages browsing, chatting, and tasting, free from noise and hustle.
Waterlooplein 129 opened in December 2023 as a larger, greenery-filled café featuring a central collaboration table. The location caters to commuters, nearby offices, and locals, particularly during the morning rush. The plant-rich interior creates an airy, open atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for group tables and quick meetings.

Concept and Brand Positioning

Screaming Beans was recently repositioned with a 'creatives-first' identity, marking a clear shift toward subscriptions and B2B services. While the cafés remain the heart of the operation, the strategy is building a broader platform for coffee solutions tailored to creatives. In doing so, the brand is evolving from a hospitality operator into a partner for work, inspiration, and taste.

Coffee Program and Equipment

The house blend is called Whisper Blend, a 50/50 mix of Ethiopia Natural and Colombia Washed. The profile is full-bodied, featuring bright citrus and subtle notes. Whisper is available as both an espresso roast and a filter roast, ensuring a consistent flavor profile across different brewing methods.
The espresso bar runs on a Kees van der Westen Spirit, chosen for its stability and speed. Whisper serves as the house espresso, while a rotating single origin in the second hopper changes roughly every month. This provides variety while keeping the core experience familiar for regulars.
For filter coffee, the menu offers batch brew via Moccamaster and V60 pour-over for single origins. The decaf option is Altura from Mexico, La Victoria Farm, featuring Bourbon and Caturra varieties, washed process, grown at around 1,750 meters. The flavor profile leans toward sweet and spicy, which pairs beautifully with milk. Plant-based milk options ensure accessibility for a wide range of preferences.
  • Espresso: Whisper Blend plus monthly single origin
  • Filter: Moccamaster batch and V60 pour-over
  • Decaf: Altura Mexico, washed, ~1,750 m, sweet and spicy
  • Plant-based milk options for all hot drinks

Community and Collaborations

The Utrechtsestraat location functions as a gallery space, hosting visible exhibitions and community-focused events. During ADE 2024, it hosted a photo exhibition featuring local photographers, blending music and imagery. In 2025, the brand is collaborating with tattoo studio Honey Honey, including a mural and an in-store DJ event on October 25. The brand also partnered with ADNIGHT 2025 for an activation at ACE, further emphasizing its link to the creative industry.
Distribution extends beyond their own cafés. For instance, Screaming Beans is featured at Fosbury & Sons, a creative workspace. This expands their reach into networks where taste, productivity, and inspiration converge.

Sustainability and Sourcing

Packaging is 100% recyclable with a CO₂-neutral footprint, and shipping boxes are made of fully biodegradable cardboard. There is an intention to move toward compostable materials as soon as the waste management chain supports it. Their positioning as fair traded specialty coffee drives their sourcing, alongside a commitment to working honestly and transparently with partners. The single-origin program has also included organic origins, such as a naturally processed Ocotepeque from Honduras. Plant-based milk options further help reduce the environmental impact of milk-based drinks.

Recognition and Visibility

Screaming Beans is recognized by the official city guide as a specialty house with its own branding and roasting. The brand is listed in the Amsterdam guide and the European Coffee Trip database, which carries significant weight within the European scene. Brian’s Coffee Spot wrote an extensive profile on their program and equipment, providing external credibility. In 2025, Devour Tours recommended their beans as a must-buy in 'Best Coffee in Amsterdam.' Additionally, the team participated in the Amsterdam Coffee Festival 2025 Roast Masters qualifiers.

Industry Impact

This model demonstrates how specialty coffee and the creative economy reinforce one another. A recognizable house blend, monthly single origins, and a flexible interior layout attract repeat visitors. Events and art inject energy outside of peak hours, spreading revenue throughout the day. Partnerships within creative workspaces open new B2B channels without sacrificing brand control.
  • Position coffee as creative fuel with a clear brand promise.
  • Design spaces that support both service speed and a relaxed dwell time.
  • Maintain one signature blend, while rotating single origins on a monthly basis.
  • Prioritize sustainable packaging early on and plan the transition to compostable materials.
  • Build B2B distribution through creative workspaces and cultural partners.

Practical Steps

  1. Develop a signature blend using simple flavor descriptors—for example: body, citrus, sweetness.
  2. Select equipment with proven stability and speed, such as a multi-boiler setup.
  3. Establish a fixed single-origin rotation, switching every four to five weeks.
  4. Designate a corner as an exhibition space and program a quarterly calendar.
  5. Introduce 100% recyclable packaging and measure the CO₂ impact.

Conclusion

In short, Screaming Beans links flavor to creativity, setting a clear and scalable example for the industry.


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