Coffeebased

What Coffeebased does

Coffeebased is a Dutch circular-economy company that converts coffee waste — both spent coffee grounds and silverskin (the hull released during roasting) — into biobased consumer products and interior materials. Its core products include reusable coffee cups (Arabica Cup and Cafea Cup lines), notebooks and stationery (including a rewritable Bambook collaboration), decorative lamps, business cards, biodegradable plant pots, rotomolded stools (Coffee Pouf), and decorative/functional coffee panels in thicknesses from 0.8mm to 20mm. The underlying technology is proprietary compression and material processing that allows the company to handle both waste streams into durable, dishwasher-safe, formaldehyde/BPA/melamine-free end products, with social employment integration and local Dutch production.

Coffeebased monetizes through three interlocking revenue streams: (1) direct e-commerce sales of products via its own webshop with one-time unit pricing (€1.96–€448.99), (2) the Koffie Recycle Service (KRS), a B2B subscription that collects coffee grounds from enterprises consuming 600+ cups weekly on a per-cup recurring fee, returning products worth up to 50% of the subscription as shop credit plus a 20% discount on the full catalog, and (3) a reseller/B2B account program distributing through retailers, concept stores, and a dedicated distributor (Plancker) for coffee panels. Customer segments span enterprise offices (Accenture, PWC, Johnson & Johnson, CEVA Logistics, Tennet, VW Pon), educational institutions (Universiteit Leiden, Hogeschool Inholland), government (Gemeente Gouda), retailers and resellers, and direct consumers, with Nespresso as a flagship volume customer (1M+ customized notebooks).

Founded in 2017 as a spin-out from VerdraaidGoed and headquartered in Gorinchem, Netherlands, Coffeebased operates with 1–10 employees, no disclosed external funding, and has accumulated a substantial international award portfolio (Amazon Sustainability Accelerator 2026, Green Scent Packaging Award 2024, Free From Plastic Challenge 2023, Horecava Innovation Award 2020, Climate KIC) plus B Corp certification (December 2025) and NVCE membership (March 2025). The business is founder-led by CEO Lisanne Addink-Dölle and CFO/COO Remco Addink, with the Netherlands currently the primary geographic market.

Name

Coffeebased

Legal name

Coffee Based

Website

https://coffeebased.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biobased Consumer Products

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (459410)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bulk Beverage & Coffee/Tea Supply Stores (Retail + Wholesale) (CRAHAMAH)

Keywords

• Biobased consumer products
• Coffee waste recycling
• Circular economy materials
• Reusable coffee cups
• Biobased furniture panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer and B2B sales of biobased products made from coffee waste. Products include cups, notebooks, lamps, business cards, coffee panels, planters, and The Bean House. One-time purchase model with prices ranging from €1.96 to €448.99 per item.
2. Koffie Recycle Service (Subscription): B2B subscription service for companies drinking 600+ cups/week. Companies pay a fee per cup of coffee consumed, receive coffee grounds collection, and get shop credits to order products. Includes 20% discount on all Coffee Based products.
3. Reseller/B2B Accounts: Business accounts for resellers, retailers, and concept stores to purchase products at wholesale prices for resale. Includes invoice payment options and dedicated support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Coffeebased collects spent coffee grounds and coffee silverskin (silver hulls from roasting) and transforms them into biobased consumer products — reusable coffee cups, notebooks, lamps, furniture panels, business cards, plant pots, and modular items like The Bean House. The portfolio is complemented by the Koffie Recycle Service, a B2B subscription that picks up used coffee grounds from office locations, processes them into new products, and returns part of the subscription fee as shop credit. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via the webshop, to businesses via invoiced accounts and the KRS subscription, and through a reseller network and the Plancker distribution partner for construction panels.

Product overview

Coffeebased is a Dutch circular economy company that transforms coffee waste (coffee grounds and silverskin/silver hulls from roasting) into biobased consumer products. The product portfolio consists of reusable coffee cups (Arabica Cup and Cafea Cup lines), notebooks and notepads (various formats including spiral, gift sets, and rewritable Bambook collaboration), home decor products (Bean of Light lamps, Taglight, Dual Brew lamps), furniture panels and boards, business cards, plant pots, and specialty items like the Bean House seating structure. Products are available as standard offerings or fully customizable for corporate gifts. The company also operates the Koffie Recycle Service, a B2B subscription collecting coffee grounds and returning products. Partner products include Unwaste personal care items and oyster mushroom growkits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Koffie Recycle Service: A subscription service that collects coffee grounds from businesses, processes them into new products, and returns products to the workplace. Half of subscription costs are returned as products.

Products and services

• Arabica Cup Reusable biobased coffee cup made from Dutch coffee grounds, available in Medium (200ml) and Large (340ml) sizes with optional lid. Free from melamine, formaldehyde and BPA; dishwasher safe and unbreakable; rounded bottom for optimal aroma.
• Cafea Cup Reusable biobased cup made from Dutch coffee bean silverskin (silver hulls released during roasting), available in Medium (200ml) and Large (340ml) sizes. Free from melamine, formaldehyde and BPA.
• Notitieboek Arabica Black Notebook with covers made from coffee grounds, available in A5 and A6 sizes with 160 lined pages of 100% recycled paper.
• Notitieboek Cafea Silverskin Ringband Spiral notebook with covers made from coffee bean silverskin, approximately A5 size with 140 pages of 80g/m² lined recycled paper.
• Notitieboek Arabica Black Ringband Spiral notebook with coffee-grounds cover, available in softcover and hardcover variants (2 and 5 cups of coffee respectively) with 160 lined recycled-paper pages.
• Blocnote Arabica Black Gift Set Large notepad with thick spiral binding containing 340 blank recycled pages, includes coffee pen, gift-boxed; covers made from 5 cups of coffee grounds.
• Coffee Based × Bambook (Rewritable Notebook) Rewritable notebook with covers made from recycled coffee grounds, developed in partnership with Bambook; A5 format with 20 erasable sheets, UV-coated without plastic, biodegradable plastic ring binding.
• Coffee Based Cutie Mini notebook smaller than A6 format (13x10cm) with 160 lined pages of 100% recycled paper and rounded corners, featuring a unique coffee-grounds cover.
• Bean of Light Decorative lamp made from biobased coffee strips and 5mm MDF coffee panels in Arabica Black or Cafea Silverskin variants; usable as hanging or standing lamp.
• Taglight Lamp made from coffee panels.
• Dual Brew lamp Lamp made from coffee grounds.
• Koffiepanelen (Coffee Panels) Biobased panels with coffee-grounds or silverskin veneer on both sides, available in Arabica Black and Cafea Silverskin materials at 20mm (multiplex), 5mm (MDF), and 0.8mm thicknesses. Suitable for furniture, wall decoration, and custom projects; can be laser cut, engraved, and full-color printed.
• Visitekaartjes (Business Cards) Business cards made from biobased coffee plate (85x55mm) using coffee grounds or silverskin. 100% natural and biodegradable with textured back and printable front.
• Plantenpot Arabica Black Biodegradable plant pot made from coffee grounds of 3 cups (Ø13x12cm) containing nutrients such as potassium and magnesium beneficial for plants.
• Elho x Coffee Based Plantenpot The Coffee Collection Collaboration line with Elho of plant pots in the Coffee Collection, made with coffee-grounds material and available in multiple sizes and sets.
• The Bean House Coffee seating corner for two people partially made from coffee grounds (700 cups). Wooden frame with coffee plates, two benches with small tables, organic coffee bean-shaped opening for plants.
• Coffee Pouf Stool/ottoman made from coffee grounds using rotational molding, with components including upcycled office-furniture cushions (from Officetrader) and coffee bean sacks (from Zwarte Koffie).
• Koffie Recycle Service (KRS) Subscription service that collects coffee grounds from businesses (minimum 600 cups or 5kg beans per week), processes them into new products, and returns part of the subscription fee as webshop credit. Subscribers receive a 20% discount on all Coffee Based products.
• Coffee Based Koffiebonenschep (Coffee Bean Scoop) Coffee bean scoop made from coffee-grounds material.
• Koffie Muurdecoratie (Netherlands Map Wall Decoration) Wall decoration map of the Netherlands made from coffee grounds.
• BeanBoard (Bulletin Board) Bulletin board made from coffee-grounds material.
• Herschrijfbare Jotter - Waste Into Wonder Rewritable jotter/notepad with covers made from coffee grounds as part of the Waste Into Wonder collection.
• Koffie Dikke Kadobon (Gift Card) Gift card redeemable against Coffee Based products.
• Coffee Machine with Coffee-Front (Custom Project) Coffee machine with a front panel made from coffee-grounds material, co-developed with De Jong Duke as a custom project for a coffee-machine manufacturer.
• Afval Innovatie Lezing (Waste Innovation Lecture) Waste-innovation lecture and presentation service delivered by the Coffee Based team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% CO2 reduction after 4 years when using Arabica Cup instead of paper cups
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• MaascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Strategic partner in developing the Koffie Recycle Service (KRS) for collecting and processing coffee grounds from businesses. Joint initiative to reduce coffee waste going to incineration.
• PrezerocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Strategic partner in developing the Koffie Recycle Service (KRS). Combined expertise in waste collection and circular processing.
• PlanckercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner handling coffee panel distribution. Stocks 5mm and 20mm coffee panels for immediate delivery from inventory.
• De Jong DukeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped custom coffee machine front made from Coffee Based material. Joint product development creating coffee machine with coffee waste front panel.
• BambookcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to create Coffee Based x Bambook - a rewritable notebook with covers made from coffee grounds. Combines Bambook's rewritable technology with Coffee Based's circular material.
• UnwasteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner product collaboration - Unwaste shampoo bars and scrub bars made with coffee oil, sold through Coffee Based webshop as complementary circular products.
• Hogeschool InhollandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal concept for The Bean House came from school's request for a seating area made from coffee. 6 Bean Houses installed across campus. Strong circular economy education partnership.
• Universiteit LeidenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom interior project for Circular Restaurant 'de Schotel'. Plant containers and coffee machine wall made from coffee panel material. Collaboration with Decosier and JEU Interior Prints.
• NespressoflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivered over 1 million customized notebooks for various country offices. Coffee-based coasters included in 2022 product assortment. Large-scale B2B customer.
• OfficetradercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Coffee Pouf project. Old office furniture (desk tops) repurposed into stool seating, combined with coffee grounds material for base via rotomolding.
• Zwarte KoffieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee bean bags from Zwarte Koffie used as upholstery material for Coffee Pouf stools. Circular economy collaboration turning coffee waste into new products.
• PlanckercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlancker distributes Coffee Based biopanels. Inspired by nature, Plancker contributes to a society where material is revalued before becoming waste.
• VerdraaidGoedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company. Founded in 2010, focuses on value retention of materials and closing loops. Coffee Based spun out from VerdraaidGoed to focus specifically on the large coffee waste stream.
• Beat the BagminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under same group. Upcycles advertising banners into reusable bags in social workshops. Also founded in 2016.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BioPak: Australia-headquartered producer of compostable foodservice packaging (cups, cutlery, containers). Overlaps Coffeebased's sustainable coffee cup market but operates at much greater scale across broader foodservice categories globally.
• Eco-Products (Novolex): US-based broad-line supplier of renewable and compostable foodservice disposables including cups and containers. Competes with Coffeebased's reusable cup offering via single-use compostable alternatives, with much larger distribution in North America.

Direct peers

• KeepCup: Australian-origin brand that pioneered the reusable coffee cup category for retail and cafe use. Direct competitor in the reusable coffee cup segment (vs Coffeebased's Arabica and Cafea cup lines), with broader global retail presence.
• CupClub: UK-based reusable cup subscription and tracking platform for corporate and event customers. Directly comparable to Coffeebased's Koffie Recycle Service subscription model focused on enterprise workplace consumption of takeaway coffee.
• r.Cup (Recup): Germany-based reusable cup deposit and return system used across foodservice and corporate offices. Comparable business model to Coffeebased's Koffie Recycle Service subscription for B2B accounts with high-volume weekly consumption.
• Bio-bean: UK-based company that collects and upcycles coffee grounds into biofuels, pellets, and biochemicals. Most directly comparable to Coffeebased in feedstock (spent coffee grounds) and circular economy mission; operates at larger scale in UK while Coffeebased focuses on consumer products in NL.
• Cupffee: Bulgarian company producing edible coffee cups made from coffee grounds. Highly analogous in feedstock (spent grounds) and core product category (reusable/edible coffee cup), demonstrating a parallel global emergence of coffee-ground consumer products.
• Loliware: US-based maker of seaweed/algae-based single-use cups and straws. Operates in the same biobased cups and straws category as Coffeebased but with a different feedstock (seaweed vs coffee waste) and a materials-science platform approach.

Emerging players

• Tipa Corp: Israel-based developer of compostable bio-based packaging films for food and consumer goods. Adjacent emerging player focused on biobased packaging end-of-life; comparable in circular bio-materials brand positioning though not coffee waste based.
• Notpla: UK startup producing seaweed-based packaging films and edible sachets. Comparable bio-materials platform solving single-use packaging waste, an adjacent emerging player to Coffeebased's biomaterials approach using a different feedstock.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoffeeBasedNL
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoffeeBasedNL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coffee-based
• Instagraminstagram.com/coffeebasednl

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coffeebased