To launch your own coffee brand in Amsterdam quickly and compliantly, register your BV or sole proprietorship with the KVK, get a VAT (BTW) number, and notify the NVWA of food business activities, then set up a HACCP-based plan for roasting/packing. Decide on contract roasting versus your own roaster: a 5–12 kg machine typically needs an Omgevingsloket notification or permit via the municipality/Omgevingsdienst Noordzeekanaalgebied for emissions and fire safety. Source green coffee from local importers (e.g., Trabocca, This Side Up) and validate profiles via SCA cupping; plan 15–20% roast loss and batch tracking. For prepacked beans, comply with EU 1169/2011 labeling: brand, ingredients (“100% coffee”), net weight, best-before, storage, origin, business name/address, lot code; use Dutch on NL packs. If you claim organic, obtain SKAL certification; for Fairtrade/Rainforest Alliance, secure chain-of-custody. Register with Afvalfonds Verpakkingen and report packaging volumes; choose recyclable mono-material bags. Set retail maths early: landed cost per 250 g, wholesale margin 40–50%, D2C subscription pricing, 9% BTW on coffee. For ecommerce, enable iDEAL, get GS1 barcodes, and letterbox-friendly 250 g shipping via PostNL. Build traction through tastings at De Hallen, Ten Katemarkt, and café takeovers; lock in liability insurance and a recall procedure from day one onward.
