VAN DUIJNEN KOFFIE BV

By winning the title Enterprise of the Year 2025-2026, Van Duijnen Koffie BV receives the crown for decades of development and repositioning. The jury was unanimous: passionate leadership, outspoken entrepreneurship and a deep-rooted social commitment are at the heart of its success. For Van Duijnen Koffie, the recognition feels like confirmation of years of dedication to customers, employees and the world around them - precisely the three pillars on which the company bases its promises.

"For me personally, after 25 years of buffeting I thought: hey, that's nice to hear from an external party," says general manager Paul Kragten. He joined the company in the early 2000s, at a time when Van Duijnen Koffie was balancing on the brink of collapse. Commercial director Jasper Sonneveld, on board since 2018, particularly emphasises the collective nature of the achievement: "Doing nice things with a really nice club of people, that's what it's all about for us."

A pioneer with a turbulent history

The origins of Van Duijnen Koffie go back to the 1940s. The founder was introduced to self-service vending machines during a trip through America and saw how various machines simplified daily life. He decided to be one of the first to bring this technology to the Netherlands. Tap dispensers on counters, where cold water and carbonation were mixed with syrup, also inspired him to look further into the automation of beverage service. According to Kragten, the then owner was "a real pioneer," but did not lay a solid organisational foundation. "So when he fell away, nobody could take over properly."

After his death in 1992, the company slowly went into decline. In 1999, banks intervened and bankruptcy followed in 2004. Kragten: "I found out we had substantial debts." After a major restructuring, the company was restarted in 2004.

The management sees the fact that Van Duijnen Koffie is now Enterprise of the Year as a symbolic turning point: from fighting for survival to building a strong brand with a professional organisation, sustainable vision and healthy growth.

A 'corporate' SME

Both Kragten and Sonneveld gained years of experience within various corporates before joining Van Duijnen. This background is clearly reflected in their current operations.

Both mention the value of that experience, but also what they found within SMEs that they missed in the corporate world. Kragten: "We were all able to learn a lot in corporates, but there you miss the decisiveness: come up with something in the morning, implement it in the afternoon and check whether you have been successful the next morning."

At Van Duijnen, this speed is possible. Short lines of communication, fast decision-making and strong execution power ensure that ideas are actually implemented. Sonneveld describes it as "an SME that feels like a family business, but with the professionalism of a corporate."

This corporate thinking is visible in the way innovation and data-driven working are set up. Strategic goals are translated into concrete KPIs, which can be viewed by everyone via real-time dashboards. "Everyone is looking at the same numbers." This creates focus, transparency and room for continuous improvement.

Six promises as a foundation

Van Duijnen Koffie's operations are based on six clear customer and organisational promises. These act as strategic capstans as well as practical guidelines for all departments. "We have a vision, clearly formulated. Coat hangers. But at the same time very clear objectives per department," says Kragten.

According to Sonneveld, the promises are concrete and testable: not abstract slogans, but guiding principles supported by the entire organisation. In practice, they are reflected in innovation, service, sustainability and communication.

1. Always delicious coffee

It is not about the "tastiest" coffee, but about variety, quality and choice. "Everyone tastes differently. It's about something for everyone."

Van Duijnen supplies various blends and brands, including its own label, Lavazza, Nescafé and Starbucks. This allows any company - where there are often as many opinions as employees - to make a suitable choice.

Flavour preferences also change over the years: mild becomes more potent, bean coffee replaces ground coffee and cappuccinos gain ground over black. Van Duijnen follows these developments, but focuses on consistent quality rather than short-lived trends.

2. Always personal

At a time when services are increasingly digital, Van Duijnen remains consciously committed to personal contact. Every customer receives a visit from an account manager at least once a year.

"We want to have a face where customers can tell their story," he says.

Transparency is also central within the service offering. Engineers sign in, explain what they have come to do and, afterwards, report back what work was carried out. Kragten: "The customer needs to know that something has really been done, and what that is." This personal contact strengthens trust and ensures a long-term relationship.

3. Always socially engaged

Social responsibility is one of the main pillars within the organisation. Van Duijnen gives substance to this through three themes:

• Respect for all: The company actively offers opportunities to people distanced from the labour market. For example, a young colleague came in through De Schoor Foundation and, according to Kragten," expressedhis desire to retire at Van Duijnen, even though he is only 19." Tasks such as refilling and maintaining vending machines fit well with different target groups. In addition, jobs are designed to combine technical and communication talents. Moreover, part of the turnover is donated annually to good causes, including Het Danspaleis and various local initiatives.

• Waste no more: Machines are developed with reuse in mind. They last twice on average for a period of about five to seven years and are then more than 98% recyclable. As far as possible, packaging consists of mono-materials that can be reused in a high-quality manner.

• CO2 neutral very normal: Over the past five years, Van Duijnen has halved its CO2 emissions through, among other things, electric driving, solar panels and LED lighting. The remaining emissions are offset through a forest restoration program in Sumatra. "On balance, we offset more than we emit," he says.

4. Always up to date

Clear communication towards customers and employees is central. The Van Duijnenkrant is published three times a year. Two editions focus on coffee news, trends, recipes and stories from the organisation. The third edition is the CSR report, deliberately in newspaper format to emphasise accessibility and transparency.

5. Always well organised

This is where the executive power of the organisation clearly comes to the fore. Van Duijnen works with data-driven service processes, real-time dashboards and standardised machine selection, ensuring that maintenance and breakdowns are handled quickly and efficiently.

Every failure is taken seriously and analysed to prevent recurrence. For example, machines with structural problems are removed from the range.

6. Always available

Availability means more than good maintenance. It also means that coffee machines can be used when there are no staff present, for example via integrated payment terminals in sports canteens.

In addition, if required, Van Duijnen can take the replenishment and maintenance completely off their hands or support clients in this.

The future of coffee

The coffee sector faces major challenges. Climate change, drought in producing countries, price fluctuations and speculation create uncertainty. Van Duijnen is therefore looking for structural solutions.

An important part of this is long-term contracts with coffee farmers, to provide them with a stable income while ensuring continuity for the organisation. "For example, we look at optimising the cultivation process and try to make sure they don't have to put down more plants, but get more yield per plant."

It also invests in regenerative agriculture, reduced use of pesticides and direct collaborations with coffee growers in Tanzania and Sumatra, among others.

Technology is also playing an increasing role. AI tools are used to predict breakdowns, optimise maintenance and make planning more efficient. Sonneveld and Kragten speak of 'practising, watching and trying': there is no set recipe, but there is a conviction that technology can fundamentally change the sector.

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