NL Kaldi Zwolle opened in 2000 on Luttekestraat. This article describes its development, coffee and tea offerings, equipment, sustainability, its position in Zwolle, and the awards it has received.
About Kaldi Zwolle
Kaldi Zwolle: origins and development
Kaldi Zwolle is located at Luttekestraat 50 in the city center of Zwolle. At this address, Hans Tietema opened the first store under the Kaldi formula in 2000. The concept combined three elements: a coffee tasting area, the sale of coffee and tea, and coffee machines for home use. No public information is available regarding Tietema’s training or previous career.
The location now functions as both a coffee and tea bar and a retail store. Visitors can enjoy coffee or tea, but also purchase beans, loose-leaf tea, and equipment. The shop also offers maintenance for coffee machines. The current location page mentions Anita Meekers as an experienced staff member who helps customers with their choices. She is not identified as the founder of the store.
In January 2025, Tietema transferred the national Kaldi organization to Martijn Bas and Guus Groeneveld. According to Kaldi, Bas has experience in financial services, hospitality, and coffee. Groeneveld is an SCAE Master Barista and has worked with coffee training and events. The transfer concerns the franchise organization. The specific ownership structure of the Zwolle location is not publicly documented.
Coffee offerings and equipment
Kaldi announced that the national coffee assortment would consist entirely of specialty coffee from May 1, 2026. This assortment includes blends, single-origin coffees, and rotating specials. However, the announcement does not specify which variants are available in Zwolle at any given time.
A post from Kaldi Zwolle dated March 28, 2026, noted that the shop had Hesselink coffee beans in stock. Public information does not specify which Hesselink coffee is used for drinks served on-site. Additionally, a full menu featuring espresso, cappuccino, filter coffee, or other preparation methods has not been published.
In March 2026, the shop sold, among other things, Hario V60 and AeroPress products. This confirms the sale of these brewing devices, but does not indicate that staff regularly prepare drinks with them. A post about Kaldi Barista’s Choice described the beans as suitable for espresso and cappuccino. However, that post does not constitute a current drink menu.
For home use, the branch sells equipment from brands including JURA, Sage, Lavazza, and Moccamaster. Kaldi lists Zwolle as a Premium JURA dealer. The brand and model of the espresso machine used in the bar itself are not publicly disclosed.
Position in the city
Kaldi Zwolle is part of the Museum Kwartier Zwolle business network. This network unites shops, hospitality businesses, and cultural institutions in this part of the historic city center. VisitZwolle also includes the branch in its overview of dining and drinking locations.
No fixed program of workshops, tastings, or exhibitions has been documented for the shop on Luttekestraat. Kaldi also operates a mobile coffee bar in the Zwolle region for trade fairs, corporate events, and festivals. Jaap de Gruijter is mentioned as a local mobile barista. However, no organizational link between him and the Luttekestraat shop has been established.
Sustainability and origin
Specific sustainability measures by Kaldi Zwolle are not publicly described. At a national level, Kaldi states that many blends carry Rainforest Alliance certification. This does not mean that every coffee in Zwolle falls under that label. The company also notes that its coffee packaging contains no aluminum foil and is recyclable.
For some coffees, Kaldi publishes data on country, cooperative or plantation, altitude, variety, and processing. For example, the Peru coffee is linked to the Cenfrocafe cooperative and a washed processing method. Its availability in Zwolle is not documented. For the Hesselink beans present, public data on contracts, purchasing terms, farms, and further traceability is lacking.
Publicity and Recognition
The Zwolle branch appears in local business and visitor guides. These mentions are not reviews or awards. Trade publications did, however, describe the origins of Kaldi in Zwolle and the transfer of the national organization in 2025.
The franchise formula received the NFV Franchise Trophy in 2021. Hans Tietema received a European Coffee Award in 2017 for his contribution to the coffee sector. Neither of these awards applies to the Zwolle shop. A specific award for this branch has not been publicly documented. The location was also not among the published municipal or provincial winners of the HorecaPrijzen.nl results for Kaldi in 2024.