NL Koffiemaatjes in Kanaleneiland combines hospitality with supported day activities. The article describes the organization, the coffee offering, procurement, sustainability, and its function as a community and meeting location.
About Koffiemaatjes
History and organization
Koffiemaatjes is a coffee bar located at Amerikalaan 207 in Kanaleneiland, Utrecht South-West. The venue officially opened in April 2022. Public information names RenQli as the initiator. Durmus Can, founder of RenQli, was involved in the launch and management of the coffee bar. Individual co-founders of Koffiemaatjes are not publicly recorded.
In 2023, Lotte van der Haar was named as the business manager. The current team page lists Rens as the business manager, alongside support staff and baristas. The organization combines hospitality with supported day activities. As a result, the location serves both a commercial and a social function.
Hospitality and supported work
Clients of RenQli work in the kitchen and service. These are individuals with mild intellectual disabilities or acquired brain injuries. They perform hospitality tasks with the support of hospitality staff and care guides. The work includes food preparation, service, and other tasks within daily operations.
Koffiemaatjes cites collaboration, equality, and care for guests, employees, and the environment as its guiding principles. According to its own information, the location is wheelchair accessible. Additionally, the venue functions as a workplace, meeting room, and social hub. This combination defines a large part of the business's profile.
Coffee Offering and Preparation
All coffee at Koffiemaatjes is prepared using FairChain coffee beans from Moyee Coffee. The public menu primarily features espresso-based drinks, including espresso, double espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte, latte macchiato, flat white, and cortado. Chocolate coffee and dirty chai are also listed.
Additionally, decaffeinated coffee, extra espresso shots, and plant-based milk are available. The listed alternatives are soy, almond, and oat milk. Technical specifications for the espresso machine are not publicly described. Manual brewing methods, such as V60, AeroPress, Chemex, or French press, are also not mentioned in the public information.
Sourcing and Sustainability
The coffee bar states that it uses local, sustainable, and fresh products wherever possible. Many menu items are prepared in-house. Local news reports also mention sourcing from suppliers in the surrounding area. According to these reports, staff and participants also purchase ingredients from nearby supermarkets.
Moyee Coffee supplies the coffee beans. According to the described FairChain model, the beans are roasted and packaged in the country of origin. The goal of this model is to retain more employment and economic value in producing countries. Koffiemaatjes also publishes logos of other suppliers and partners, including Schulp, The Growlab, Fritz-Kola, El Tony Mate, Sligro, Krachtstation, and RenQli.
A local interview from 2023 reported that the business was working towards a fully organic offering. Current public information does not confirm that the entire menu is now organically certified. Therefore, no further conclusions can be drawn on this matter.
Neighborhood function and gatherings
The location is used for activities that go beyond daily hospitality. On May 12, 2026, RenQli organized the presentation of the book and care methodology Kleurrijk Bekwaam. The event was aimed at professionals and network partners.
On October 14, 2025, a public information evening took place regarding the redevelopment of the Krachtstation complex. During this meeting, plans were explained and feedback from residents and other interested parties was collected. Additionally, Dusted Secondhand has a shop-in-shop for secondhand clothing in the coffee bar.
Koffiemaatjes offers the meeting room, the entire location, and the terrace for meetings, team sessions, and other gatherings. Recurring coffee workshops, public cuppings, brewing classes, or art exhibitions are not publicly documented.
Media and Recognition
Local media primarily focused on the combination of hospitality and supported care. In March 2023, a profile of then-business manager Lotte van der Haar was published. In May of that year, a neighborhood article followed about the social role, local sourcing, and collaboration with RenQli. Ustad/RTV Utrecht also produced a video contribution about the work model.
Furthermore, the coffee bar appears in communications from Krachtstation and RenQli regarding the opening, neighborhood activities, and care-related gatherings. Prices, competition results, or inclusion in a documented ranking are not mentioned in the sources examined.