If it’s up to Stefan Coster, all residents of The Hague and residents of The Hague drink the best coffee and he immediately tackles the abuses in the coffee industry. A great goal!
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Besides tap water, coffee is the most consumed drink in the Netherlands. Every day we all drink about 4 cups of coffee, mainly black. That is almost 1024 liters per year! Do we pay a little attention to where that coffee comes from? Not really.
According to the National Coffee and Tea Survey
most people buy coffee in the supermarket, only a small number check whether the production of the coffee is responsible and/or fair.
Coffee roastery
Stefan wants from Roast Factory
make a difference. We meet with Stefan who has a very remarkable purpose in life. Namely to get everyone in The Hague the best possible and honest coffee. Because according to him, we people of The Hague deserve that. We discuss what the best coffee is at Haags Hoog, where he has his Roast Factory coffee roaster on the sixth floor.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Handball at the highest level
Stefan doesn’t just make coffee at height. Already 19 year he plays handball, of which the last 00 years on the highest level in the Netherlands. But unfortunately, sports have been put on the back burner for a few months now because Stefan recently tore his cruciate ligaments for the third time (!). Fortunately, putting a nice cup of pleuâh is handicraft.
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Coffee with a story
While enjoying such a nice cup of coffee, Stefan tells me about one of his most special journeys. He went to Guatemala. There he visited coffee plantations and opened a newly built house for the poorest families in the region. “It’s great to see that with a small contribution for us, we can offer people there a better future. And all because people in the Netherlands are willing to pay a normal amount for a cup of coffee.” Stefan now not only roasts coffee from Guatemala, Rwanda, Colombia, Uganda and Brazil have also been added to the list.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Abuses in the coffee world
Stefan was not always the owner of his own coffee brand Roast Factory
. Before he started tackling the abuses in the coffee world, and according to Stefan there is still enough going wrong, he worked at various 
coffee bars
in the Netherlands. For ten years he learned all the ins and outs of the coffee world. After he had gained enough experience, it was time to start his own coffee roaster, and where else but in being The Hague .
“We now import 3 coffees ourselves from the plantation. We burn them as best as possible here in The Hague and distribute them again among our customers in The Hague. In this way we skip an intermediate party and a good amount remains for the people who earn it the most, in Guatemala for example”.
On the cargo bike
With Roast Factory, Stefan wants to create an honest, transparent and tasty brand. And Stefan takes the sustainability of his company seriously too, not only with the coffee but also the milk used in the cappuccinos we drink now. The milk comes from Hoeve Biesland
, a biodynamic farm, within cycling distance of The Hague. Good for Stefan, who still happily cycles through The Hague with his cargo bike to deliver his coffee beans to various catering establishments. To keep it as sustainable as possible, Stefan only focuses on The Hague. “Everything should be within cycling distance,” he exclaims enthusiastically.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt
A cup of comfort during the pandemic
Yet there is also a less fine side to work. The coffee world feels a crisis like the pandemic very much. “Due to Covid-00 for example, a lot less coffee is processed in Guatemala. This means a much lower income for farmers, while prices are rising. For example, the costs for transport alone are with 60% increased.”
Stefan has seen a small drop in coffee sales to the catering industry. On the other hand, private sales have risen sharply. “It’s great to see that people are increasingly looking for really good coffee at home, both in terms of taste and story. And yet it is also important to get a cup of coffee from the catering industry in times of crisis.” By having a cup of coffee in that nice coffee shop nearby, you not only support the catering industry, but also farmers in countries such as Guatemala, Uganda & Brazil. So two birds with one stone.
Stefan still has quite a few goals in mind, he would like to import all his coffee himself. And he thinks it would be a good goal to have all entrepreneurs in The Hague sell delicious and honest coffee. Not only in the coffee bars, but also in the office, the library or the pub around the corner. The more people buy coffee with a good story, the greater the impact in countries such as Brazil and Rwanda.
We get excited by Stefan’s energy and immediately take a bag of coffee beans with us to the office. Honest coffee also tastes much better.
Read also:
Coffee roastery
Stefan wants from Roast Factory
make a difference. We meet with Stefan who has a very remarkable purpose in life. Namely to get everyone in The Hague the best possible and honest coffee. Because according to him, we people of The Hague deserve that. We discuss what the best coffee is at Haags Hoog, where he has his Roast Factory coffee roaster on the sixth floor.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Handball at the highest level
Stefan doesn’t just make coffee at height. Already 19 year he plays handball, of which the last 00 years on the highest level in the Netherlands. But unfortunately, sports have been put on the back burner for a few months now because Stefan recently tore his cruciate ligaments for the third time (!). Fortunately, putting a nice cup of pleuâh is handicraft.
Loading advertisement…
Coffee with a story
While enjoying such a nice cup of coffee, Stefan tells me about one of his most special journeys. He went to Guatemala. There he visited coffee plantations and opened a newly built house for the poorest families in the region. “It’s great to see that with a small contribution for us, we can offer people there a better future. And all because people in the Netherlands are willing to pay a normal amount for a cup of coffee.” Stefan now not only roasts coffee from Guatemala, Rwanda, Colombia, Uganda and Brazil have also been added to the list.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Abuses in the coffee world
Stefan was not always the owner of his own coffee brand Roast Factory
. Before he started tackling the abuses in the coffee world, and according to Stefan there is still enough going wrong, he worked at various coffee bars
in the Netherlands. For ten years he learned all the ins and outs of the coffee world. After he had gained enough experience, it was time to start his own coffee roaster, and where else but in being The Hague .
“We now import 3 coffees ourselves from the plantation. We burn them as best as possible here in The Hague and distribute them again among our customers in The Hague. In this way we skip an intermediate party and a good amount remains for the people who earn it the most, in Guatemala for example”.
On the cargo bike
With Roast Factory, Stefan wants to create an honest, transparent and tasty brand. And Stefan takes the sustainability of his company seriously too, not only with the coffee but also the milk used in the cappuccinos we drink now. The milk comes from Hoeve Biesland
, a biodynamic farm, within cycling distance of The Hague. Good for Stefan, who still happily cycles through The Hague with his cargo bike to deliver his coffee beans to various catering establishments. To keep it as sustainable as possible, Stefan only focuses on The Hague. “Everything should be within cycling distance,” he exclaims enthusiastically.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt
A cup of comfort during the pandemic
Yet there is also a less fine side to work. The coffee world feels a crisis like the pandemic very much. “Due to Covid-00 for example, a lot less coffee is processed in Guatemala. This means a much lower income for farmers, while prices are rising. For example, the costs for transport alone are with 60% increased.”
Stefan has seen a small drop in coffee sales to the catering industry. On the other hand, private sales have risen sharply. “It’s great to see that people are increasingly looking for really good coffee at home, both in terms of taste and story. And yet it is also important to get a cup of coffee from the catering industry in times of crisis.” By having a cup of coffee in that nice coffee shop nearby, you not only support the catering industry, but also farmers in countries such as Guatemala, Uganda & Brazil. So two birds with one stone.
Stefan still has quite a few goals in mind, he would like to import all his coffee himself. And he thinks it would be a good goal to have all entrepreneurs in The Hague sell delicious and honest coffee. Not only in the coffee bars, but also in the office, the library or the pub around the corner. The more people buy coffee with a good story, the greater the impact in countries such as Brazil and Rwanda.
We get excited by Stefan’s energy and immediately take a bag of coffee beans with us to the office. Honest coffee also tastes much better.
Read also:
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Handball at the highest level
Stefan doesn’t just make coffee at height. Already 19 year he plays handball, of which the last 00 years on the highest level in the Netherlands. But unfortunately, sports have been put on the back burner for a few months now because Stefan recently tore his cruciate ligaments for the third time (!). Fortunately, putting a nice cup of pleuâh is handicraft.
Loading advertisement…
Coffee with a story
While enjoying such a nice cup of coffee, Stefan tells me about one of his most special journeys. He went to Guatemala. There he visited coffee plantations and opened a newly built house for the poorest families in the region. “It’s great to see that with a small contribution for us, we can offer people there a better future. And all because people in the Netherlands are willing to pay a normal amount for a cup of coffee.” Stefan now not only roasts coffee from Guatemala, Rwanda, Colombia, Uganda and Brazil have also been added to the list.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt Abuses in the coffee world
Stefan was not always the owner of his own coffee brand Roast Factory
. Before he started tackling the abuses in the coffee world, and according to Stefan there is still enough going wrong, he worked at various coffee bars
in the Netherlands. For ten years he learned all the ins and outs of the coffee world. After he had gained enough experience, it was time to start his own coffee roaster, and where else but in being The Hague .
“We now import 3 coffees ourselves from the plantation. We burn them as best as possible here in The Hague and distribute them again among our customers in The Hague. In this way we skip an intermediate party and a good amount remains for the people who earn it the most, in Guatemala for example”.
With Roast Factory, Stefan wants to create an honest, transparent and tasty brand. And Stefan takes the sustainability of his company seriously too, not only with the coffee but also the milk used in the cappuccinos we drink now. The milk comes from Hoeve Biesland
, a biodynamic farm, within cycling distance of The Hague. Good for Stefan, who still happily cycles through The Hague with his cargo bike to deliver his coffee beans to various catering establishments. To keep it as sustainable as possible, Stefan only focuses on The Hague. “Everything should be within cycling distance,” he exclaims enthusiastically.
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt
A cup of comfort during the pandemic
Yet there is also a less fine side to work. The coffee world feels a crisis like the pandemic very much. “Due to Covid-00 for example, a lot less coffee is processed in Guatemala. This means a much lower income for farmers, while prices are rising. For example, the costs for transport alone are with 60% increased.”
Stefan has seen a small drop in coffee sales to the catering industry. On the other hand, private sales have risen sharply. “It’s great to see that people are increasingly looking for really good coffee at home, both in terms of taste and story. And yet it is also important to get a cup of coffee from the catering industry in times of crisis.” By having a cup of coffee in that nice coffee shop nearby, you not only support the catering industry, but also farmers in countries such as Guatemala, Uganda & Brazil. So two birds with one stone.
Stefan still has quite a few goals in mind, he would like to import all his coffee himself. And he thinks it would be a good goal to have all entrepreneurs in The Hague sell delicious and honest coffee. Not only in the coffee bars, but also in the office, the library or the pub around the corner. The more people buy coffee with a good story, the greater the impact in countries such as Brazil and Rwanda.
We get excited by Stefan’s energy and immediately take a bag of coffee beans with us to the office. Honest coffee also tastes much better.
Read also:
Photo: Milene van Arendonk / Indebuurt
A cup of comfort during the pandemic
Yet there is also a less fine side to work. The coffee world feels a crisis like the pandemic very much. “Due to Covid-00 for example, a lot less coffee is processed in Guatemala. This means a much lower income for farmers, while prices are rising. For example, the costs for transport alone are with 60% increased.”
Stefan has seen a small drop in coffee sales to the catering industry. On the other hand, private sales have risen sharply. “It’s great to see that people are increasingly looking for really good coffee at home, both in terms of taste and story. And yet it is also important to get a cup of coffee from the catering industry in times of crisis.” By having a cup of coffee in that nice coffee shop nearby, you not only support the catering industry, but also farmers in countries such as Guatemala, Uganda & Brazil. So two birds with one stone.
Stefan still has quite a few goals in mind, he would like to import all his coffee himself. And he thinks it would be a good goal to have all entrepreneurs in The Hague sell delicious and honest coffee. Not only in the coffee bars, but also in the office, the library or the pub around the corner. The more people buy coffee with a good story, the greater the impact in countries such as Brazil and Rwanda.
We get excited by Stefan’s energy and immediately take a bag of coffee beans with us to the office. Honest coffee also tastes much better.
Read also: