Stooker Specialty Coffee

Stooker Specialty Coffee is an Amsterdam-based coffee company that is publicly described as being active since 2014. The names associated with its founding in public sources are Onno van Zanten and Florian Hessel. Earlier publications mention that both gained experience at Espressofabriek and Lot Sixty One before starting Stooker. This background places the company within the broader evolution of specialty coffee in Amsterdam during the mid-2010s.

The company does not present itself primarily as a classic coffee bar. In public descriptions, Stooker is mainly listed as a roastery and as an academy or training location. This distinction is relevant, as it explains why the company’s public profile is broader than just selling drinks at the bar. Official communication states that their starting point is that coffee can taste better and, at the same time, hold economic and social value in a different way.

There is a slight discrepancy regarding the opening date. Official communication speaks of a start in 2014, while reports from 2015 described the location at Kastanjeplein as a new business that opened in February of that year. Those reports explicitly characterized the space as a coffee lab rather than a traditional coffee bar. This image aligns with the current emphasis on training, tasting, and roasting.

The public-facing address featured in current communication is Kastanjeplein 2 in Amsterdam-Oost. Additionally, it is publicly recorded that roasting activities take place in the Westelijk Havengebied of Amsterdam. This results in a setup where public functions and production do not entirely coincide. For readers looking to place Stooker within the Amsterdam coffee sector, this distinction is relevant: the company functions both as a brand for end-users and as a producer and educator.

Public sources therefore portray Stooker as a hybrid company. On one hand, there is a visible location in Oost, serving as an academy and café. On the other hand, there is a roasting infrastructure documented elsewhere in the city. Furthermore, previous reports mentioned an open roastery, cuppings, and workshops, with public access on Saturdays. This points to a model where knowledge sharing and production are integral parts of the same business operation.

In public communication, Stooker profiles itself as its own roaster. The assortment documented publicly includes single origins, seasonal blends, espresso roasts, filter roasts, decaf, and subscriptions. Within the current offering, names such as Peru – Segundo Alarcon, Peru – Los Tulipanes, Brazil – Daterra Sunset, Pachamama, Colombia – Popayán Sugar Cane Decaf, and Santa Lucía & Anonos – Gesha Cascara are mentioned. These names show that the assortment is built around origin, producer, and processing profile.

The brewing side also receives significant attention. The academy pages describe both espresso-based preparation and manual filter brewing. For home use, Stooker lists V60, Kalita, Origami, and AeroPress as standard methods. Product pages also show grind options for espresso, drip, and steep. Thus, the company links its offering not only to the beans but also to the way they can be brewed at home or professionally.

Publicly documented drinks include espresso, cappuccino, flat white, latte, and café au lait or koffie verkeerd. Cascara also appears, prepared as an infusion based on coffee cherry husks. At the same time, it is important to note that a full, current drinks menu for use in the café is not publicly recorded in the available sources. For a factual description, it remains necessary to distinguish between what is stated in product and course information and what has actually been published as a complete menu.

A large part of Stooker’s public profile revolves around education. The Stooker Coffee Academy lists both SCA modules and non-SCA training for professionals and consumers. The overview includes Introduction to Coffee, Barista Skills Foundation, Intermediate and Professional, Home Barista Workshop, Latte Art Workshop, Home Brewing Workshop, Private Barista Workshops, and a Roasting & Sensory Workshop.

This training structure shows that the company does not limit itself to sales. The academy offers courses both online and offline. Additionally, public information states that entrepreneurs who work with Stooker coffee can take courses free of charge. This makes education part of the business relationship with clients, as well as part of the public positioning toward consumers and professionals.

Alongside courses, a social component is also visible. Through the Boon Chance program, Stooker collaborates with Dynamo and Ontwikkelplein Amsterdam to provide barista training for youth in Amsterdam. According to public descriptions, the sessions are led by certified baristas from Stooker and may take place at the Stooker Coffee Academy. The goal of the program is to guide young people toward education, internships, and employment.

Regarding sourcing, Stooker publicly states that they work with trusted importers, visit origin countries to cup and select coffees, and purchase lots that are traceable back to the farm and producer. They also mention that fair prices are paid. Public product information lists origins including Colombia, Peru, Ethiopia, Brazil, and Costa Rica. At the same time, it is indicated that the assortment is sustainably grown, though only partially organic certified.

Specific relationships on the producer side include Daterra in Brazil, the Santa Luc&ia & Anonos farms in Costa Rica, Los Tulipanes as a collective lot of smallholders in Cajamarca, and producer Segundo Alarcon. Furthermore, it is publicly established that Stooker is B Corporation certified, having held the certification since March 2022. No prices or rankings in award lists were found in the available sources. Public recognition consists primarily of media attention, participation in coffee festivals, and certification.