Shell Café Haerst

Shell Café Haerst is located at Shell Station Haerst on the A28, in the Vechtlanden and Haerst area near Zwolle. The station is registered at Rijksweg A28 WZ, 8035 QQ Zwolle. The location offers fuel, a convenience shop, and various food and drink options. Within this range, Shell Café serves as the café and bakery concept at the site.

In November 2023, it was announced that Shell Haerst had reopened after a major renovation. The shop was reorganized according to the Shell Café formula. The restrooms were also renovated under the 2theloo formula. This renovation fits into a broader trend where gas stations focus not only on mobility but also on consumption on the go.

The founders of Shell Café Haerst are not publicly documented. However, the role of station manager Jacqueline Bruggink has been described. She had worked for Shell gas stations for 38 years and previously managed locations in Overijssel and Gelderland. In 2019, she started at Haerst as an interim manager. From November 2023, she became the full-time manager of Shell Haerst.

The convenience shop at Haerst was converted from deli2go to Shell Café in September and October 2023. This changed the presentation of food and drinks at the location. Shell describes Shell Café as a café formula with a renewed interior and a range based on a Danish hygge home concept. The formula offers seating for guests who want to eat or drink, work, rest, or briefly meet up.

For readers in the coffee sector, it is particularly relevant that Shell Café is not an independent coffee bar, but a formula within a gas station environment. The context determines the function of the café. The location targets passersby along the highway, commuters, and other travelers. This makes its profile different from that of an independent specialty coffee bar in a city center.

Shell mentions that baristas at Shell Café work with piston machines, also known as Italian espresso machines. These machines are monitored for dosage, pressure, and extraction time. These are measurement points that are important for the consistent preparation of espresso and milk drinks. The available public information links this method to the Shell Café formula in general, not exclusively to Haerst.

The public menu of Shell Café includes, among other things, black coffee, espresso, cappuccino, caffè latte, and flat white. An allergen overview also lists espresso macchiato, latte macchiato, chai latte, fresh mint tea, hot chocolate, frappé, iced vanilla latte, red beet latte, and mocha. The range thus consists of classic coffee drinks, milk drinks, and some sweet or cold variants.

Shell describes two blends within Shell Café. The Signature Lungo consists, according to Shell, of 100 percent South American arabica and has a medium roast. The Signature Espresso consists of 80 percent South American arabica and 20 percent Southeast Asian robusta, with a dark roast. The task information names Smit & Dorlas as the roaster. Public reporting on the Shell Barista Cup names Smit & Dorlas as the coffee supplier for Shell Café, but no public evidence has been found for a separate roasting relationship focused solely on Haerst.

Shell Haerst received attention in 2023 for its participation in the Shell Sandwich Competition. The final took place on June 20, 2023, at Van Gelder in Ridderkerk. Shell Haerst won there with the Chicken Kebab Tortilla. In reporting on the competition, Jacqueline Bruggink and bakery staff members Astrid Jutten and Ancel Ubak are named as representatives of the location.

The competition focused on sandwiches within the gas station and bakery sector, not specifically on coffee. Nevertheless, the participation provides context for how Shell Haerst organizes its food service activities. The location is primarily described in public sources through the combination of bakery, convenience shop, and Shell Café. The Chicken Kebab Tortilla was to be introduced nationally at Shell stations with a bakery from mid-2024.

The public recognition for Haerst consists of winning the Shell Sandwich Competition 2023 and the associated title “Lekkerste broodje langs de weg” (Tastiest sandwich on the road). A golden sandwich trophy is also mentioned. This recognition belongs to the food service part of the station. No separate awards or local tastings for coffee at Shell Café Haerst have been publicly documented.

Shell communicates that the Shell Café formula operates with responsibly produced products, Dutch farmers, a focus on animal welfare, and the elimination of unnecessary E-numbers where natural alternatives are possible. This information applies to the formula as a whole and is not specifically described for Haerst.

For coffee, Shell states that all beans from Shell Café are Rainforest Alliance-certified. For tea, Shell names LocalTea as the supplier. According to Shell, this tea comes from a Dutch tea plantation in Zundert. The choice is linked to local origin and shorter transport distances. Furthermore, Shell Shop – Haerst is listed on Too Good To Go, offering surprise packages for surplus food, such as sandwiches, croissants, cake, smoothies, sweets, or snacks.

Publicly described partners around Shell Haerst and Shell Café include Shell, Bakerstreet, Van Gelder, LocalTea, Smit & Dorlas, and 2theloo. The extent to which these partners are directly involved in the daily coffee practice in Haerst varies by source. Therefore, a distinction is needed between information about the national formula and information specifically documented for the Haerst location.

Shell Café Haerst shows how coffee secures a permanent place within the food service of gas stations. The emphasis is on standardized preparation, a recognizable assortment, and ease of use for travelers. The location thus differs from independent coffee shops that often work with changing beans, filter methods, or local branding. At the same time, Shell Café uses terms and techniques that are also relevant in the broader coffee sector, such as espresso extraction, milk recipes, blend composition, and certification.

The available material primarily provides insight into the formula, the renovation, the team, and bakery performance. There is no public documentation regarding local coffee tastings, workshops, exhibitions, or a dedicated coffee community at Haerst. As a result, the profile of Shell Café Haerst remains primarily that of a highway location where coffee is part of a broader food service offering.