Zus en Kees

Zus en Kees is located at Bergselaan 239A in Rotterdam. The establishment is situated in Bergpolder, a neighborhood in Rotterdam-Noord. Available information identifies Maaike, Eef, and Kees as the people behind the business. Maaike and Eef are sisters, while Kees is mentioned in public profiles as Eef’s husband.

The opening of Zus en Kees took place around November 2019. In December 2019, it was reported that the business had been open for approximately one month. In December 2022, a retrospective was published marking a three-year period. This places the start of the enterprise in the autumn of 2019.

The concept combines multiple functions. Zus en Kees is described as a shop, atelier, coffee bar, and lunchroom. The establishment sells interior accessories, cards, and gifts. In addition, there is coffee, pastries, breakfast, and lunch. As a result, the space is not only focused on consumption but also on the sale of smaller products for the home.

The setup has a clear neighborhood function. In interviews, the business is described as an accessible place for coffee, food, and conversation. This role is also reflected in descriptions by regular customers from the area. The family connection between the entrepreneurs forms a recognizable part of the story surrounding the business.

For coffee, Zus en Kees uses beans from Giraffe Coffee Roasters. This name appears in their own communications and in external profiles. The available data does not mention specific origins, roast profiles, or rotating coffees. Consequently, the public image of the coffee offering is limited to the supplier and a few drink names.

The online menu page lists, among others, iced Americano, iced cappuccino, and iced latte. Chai latte and matcha latte are also mentioned. For chai latte and matcha latte, it is noted that these are available in vegan options. A third party further mentions cappuccino, tea, and chai latte, but this is not an official menu source.

Little has been publicly documented regarding brewing methods. No documented data was found on filter coffee, batch brew, pour-over, or espresso settings. For readers who wish to place the business within the specialty coffee sector, this is a relevant limitation. The public profile primarily provides insight into the supplier, drink offerings, and general positioning.

Beyond coffee, Zus en Kees serves breakfast, lunch, and pastries. The café is frequently featured in various roundups highlighting the best breakfast spots in Rotterdam. In 2024, a dedicated article was published focusing specifically on breakfast at the venue. This attention demonstrates that the offering is presented as broader than just coffee.

The retail side of the business includes interior products and smaller household items. Mentioned are cards, gifts, accessories, soap, towels, and kitchen towels. Decorative items made from natural materials, such as wood, paper, and ceramics, are also featured. These products fit within the combined character of the shop and the café.

The neighborhood function is evident in several ways. Zus en Kees is described as a place where regulars from the surrounding area gather. At the same time, the audience is not limited to the local district. An English-language menu is available, as tourists and expats also visit the café. This indicates a mixed clientele.

There is also collaboration with entrepreneurs in the vicinity. Contact with neighboring businesses and other food and beverage establishments is noted, with business owners referring customers to one another. Such cooperation fits a small-scale, local food and beverage structure, without the need for a formal event network.

Workshops, tastings, or exhibitions by Zus en Kees are not publicly documented in the provided materials. However, it was mentioned in 2024 that the café would be present at a Lichtjesmarkt on Dorpsstraat, featuring goods and Giraffe coffee. This is the only concrete market activity found in the data.

Regarding sourcing, two names are clearly mentioned. For coffee, Zus en Kees works with Giraffe Coffee Roasters. For various menu items, Hoeve Biesland is cited, providing products such as bread, yogurt, and cheese. In 2024, it was noted that products are organic whenever possible.

It is also mentioned that the café aims to minimize waste. However, the available data does not provide further figures on waste, packaging, or energy consumption. Therefore, sustainability can only be discussed here based on the mentioned sourcing and the cited approach to reducing waste.

Since its opening, Zus en Kees has been mentioned multiple times in local and city-wide media. Articles have covered the launch of the business, its family feel, breakfast offerings, and tips for Rotterdam. An English-language profile has also been published. Additionally, the café has appeared in roundups about breakfast in the city.

Formal awards or prize mentions are not documented. Public attention focuses primarily on the neighborhood character, the combination of shop and café, and the offerings around coffee, breakfast, and lunch. Within the Rotterdam coffee sector, Zus en Kees is thus primarily visible as a small-scale, multi-functional business in Bergpolder.