Wakuli Van Woustraat

Wakuli operates a coffee bar at Van Woustraat 54 in Amsterdam. This location is listed on the company’s public location list and is also featured in a local guide for De Pijp. As such, the establishment is clearly embedded in Amsterdam-Zuid, on a street where hospitality and neighborhood functions are closely intertwined.

The business operates under the name Wakuli, a brand that relies heavily on coffee origin and supply chain structure in its public communications. According to the company, the name is derived from the Swahili word “wakulima”, which means “farmers”. This phrasing emphasizes the role of coffee farmers as the starting point of the trade chain.

Public sources link Wakuli to founders Yorick Bruins and Lukas Grosfeld. Tanzania frequently appears in the public narrative surrounding the company. Wakuli reports that Bruins previously worked for an NGO in Tanzania supporting cooperatives. Additionally, it became known in 2018 that Lukas Grosfeld won the Isaac Roet Prize with the business plan for Wakuli.

Public sources describe Wakuli as a venture that launched in 2019. The company’s communication focuses on shorter supply chains, direct collaboration with farmer groups, and a model where the farmer stands at the beginning, rather than the end, of the value chain. This forms the core of the concept, including for the coffee bar in Amsterdam.

An exact opening date for the Van Woustraat location wasn’t recorded in the sources consulted. However, on July 25, 2024, Wakuli referred to the spot on Instagram as a “newly opened bar”. Later, in October 2024, De Buik van Amsterdam noted that Wakuli had already opened on the first section of the Van Woustraat. This suggests the location became operational sometime during 2024.

The coffee bar serves coffee from Wakuli itself. According to public business information, the headquarters, distribution center, and roastery are located in Watergang, just outside Amsterdam. The company also states that the beans are roasted in their own roastery north of Amsterdam and shipped from there.

For its standard menu, Wakuli lists espresso, cappuccino, and filter coffee on its location list. These are the drinks publicly documented for the coffee bars. No more detailed information regarding location-specific brewing methods for the Van Woustraat spot was found in the consulted sources.

Additionally, seasonal drinks appear in their public communications. At the time of recording, Wakuli mentioned items such as a Tiramisu Latte and Chocolate Raspberry Cold Brew. On Instagram, a “Coldbrew ginger beer” also appeared for the Van Woustraat location. This indicates a menu that includes temporary or more experimental variations alongside the classic coffee offerings.

Beyond its function as a bar, Wakuli also profiles its locations as venues for workshops. Public information mentions hands-on workshops in Amsterdam, Den Haag, and Leiden. The format described is a ninety-minute coffee tasting workshop, conducted in English, for a maximum of eight participants. Topics include green coffee, roasting, cupping, sourcing, and roast levels.

No separate program of recurring neighborhood activities, exhibitions, or a dedicated event calendar for the Van Woustraat location was publicly documented in the consulted sources. Consequently, it remains unclear to what extent this location runs its own independent programming outside of the brand’s broader workshop offerings.

There is, however, public information about collaborations that go beyond standard bar service. Wakuli announced an ateliercafé with 2050_nl on Instagram. De Buik van Amsterdam later described the “Atletic Cafe by Wakuli & 2050” as a joint concept that explicitly aims to be more than just a place for coffee. The precise details of this collaboration remain limited in the available information.

Wakuli publicly states that it works directly with farmer groups and cooperatives. According to the company, the supply chain is shortened by roasting and packaging the coffee themselves in Watergang, after which the products go to consumers or to their own bars in the Netherlands. This supply chain structure is a recurring element in the brand’s external positioning.

Wakuli’s mission statements center on the goal of independent, profitable, and future-proof coffee farmers. Additionally, the company reports working toward fully regenerative coffee production by 2028. Such goals are part of the public brand message, though in the available text, they are primarily presented as the company’s own claims.

Wakuli also publishes figures regarding sourcing and payments. The company mentions partnerships with 13 farmer organizations across 12 countries and speaks of 14,897 farmers with an improved income. For 2025, Wakuli reports an average payment of 7.87 dollars per kilo to partners, compared to an average market price of 6.19 dollars. Furthermore, the company names specific partners, such as Cafe Business Consult in Tanzania and producers in Indonesia, including Ontosoroh, farmers from Rende Nao, and producers from Golo Labe and Asnikom.

The Van Woustraat location received local attention in Amsterdam. De Buik van Amsterdam wrote in October 2024 about the opening on the first part of the street. InDePijp Amsterdam also lists the business at Van Woustraat 54. On a brand and city level, Wakuli also appears in guides and editorial overviews, including I amsterdam and European Coffee Trip.

At the corporate level, several recognitions have been publicly recorded. The 2018 Isaac Roet Prize for Lukas Grosfeld’s business plan is the earliest example. Furthermore, MT/Sprout named Wakuli the “MT/Sprout Challenger of 2023” in 2024. Additionally, a podcast episode from World Coffee Portal featuring Yorick Bruins was released in April 2025. No separate awards or distinctions were found for the Van Woustraat location in the consulted sources.