ETNA at ECOstyle
Sustainable coffee connects
We travel to Friesland to visit the most sustainable business premises in the Northern Netherlands: Ecomunitypark in Oosterwolde. The Ecomunitypark is a unique ecological working landscape: 50% of the surrounding area remains nature. Nestled between the green areas are several companies operating with carefully selected sustainable materials. We visit one of these companies, ECOstyle, to find out how they see their coffee supply from a sustainability perspective.
Clear sustainability vision
ECOstyle Purchasing Manager Jacob Pathuis tells us: "What connects ECOstyle and mkb coffee is the clear sustainability vision our enterprises are based on. If you want a better world, you have to take the initiative yourself. That is the idea on which Jan Zwart and his three partners based ECOstyle more than 55 years ago. We were the first company in the Netherlands to develop and sell ecologically responsible agricultural and gardening products to businesses and consumers with minimal impact on the environment. More and more companies are committed to sustainability, but for us it's truly embedded in our mission. It's at the core of who we are, and it has brought us to where we are now."
The next generation
At 20 years old, Luca Wijnsma is the Jan Zwart of his generation. He started his own company in 2022 with a clear mission: a fair coffee chain, from bean to machine. MKB coffee offers a total coffee solution for business customers, with a focus on making a positive contribution to the environment and society.
Luca buys his coffee directly from coffee farmers, avoiding any unnecessary intermediate links. This ensures a transparent coffee chain in which farmers get a fair price for their products. The beans are then roasted with an electric coffee roaster This can be seen in the Veenhuizen Prison (PI). For every kilo of coffee sold, MkB coffee donates €0.50 to charities, including Epilepsy NL and KWF.
Cooperation with ETNA
Luca has deliberately chosen to partner up with ETNA. "Eric Jansen, the Sales Manager for the Netherlands at ETNA, gave me the confidence and space to get started. ETNA is very much a Dutch product. All its coffee machines are assembled in Doetinchem and at least 75% of their parts are sourced in Europe. This is very important to me, because I want to guarantee a transparent chain. The coffee machine is an important part in this."
"The 8-year warranty on the Braumann brewing unit and grinder is proof to me that I offer a good product. What’s more sustainable than a coffee machine that lasts a long time and only needs to be replaced after many years? At the end of its lifespan, the coffee machine is also 95% recyclable."
"ETNA’s personal approach truly matches my own business philosophy. I invest in long-term relationships with my customers and ETNA does that as well."
Sustainable coffee machines at ECOstyle
ECOstyle values local sourcing. Jacob explains: "We want to make the most sustainable choice in every way. We came to mkb coffee when we were looking for a new coffee machine. After presenting their sustainable coffee concept, from bean to machine, and tasting the coffee, we were delighted. mkb coffee is also around the corner here in Oosterwolde, so a logical choice to join forces with Luca. If we can do things locally, we go for it!"
“There are three ETNA Dorado Espresso Compact Touch 7” coffee machines at our premises: two in the office building and one in our warehouse. We have deliberately chosen to install espresso machines everywhere so that everyone can enjoy quality coffee. There didn't use to be an espresso machine in the warehouse, just a filter coffee machine. We changed this when we replaced the coffee machines; it was an important signal to our team."
Tea without a coffee taste
"We no longer need our kettle, because the coffee machine dispenses clear hot water that doesn't taste of coffee through a special spout. This saves space in the kitchen and makes for happy colleagues! We noticed that the previous supplier's support was not optimal. There was no quick response and hardly any service. mkb coffee takes care of everything for us and responds to questions quickly.”
