Het Wijninstituut

What Het Wijninstituut does

Het Wijninstituut is a Netherlands-based wine education provider founded in 1996 and headquartered in Rotterdam. The company delivers nationally recognized SDEN (Stichting Diplomering Eksterkring Nederland) wine courses at levels 1, 2, and 3, alongside single-evening introductory tastings, wine-and-food pairing programs, regionally themed courses (Dutch, Italian, Greek), themed workshops, and SDEN exam administration. Its stated outcome metric is a 94% exam pass rate, above the national average, supported by a roster of 40+ qualified vinologists and wine instructors delivering courses at 12+ partner venues across the Netherlands.

The commercial model is direct-to-consumer and one-time-payment, with course fees ranging from EUR 55 for an introductory tasting (Proef Wijn / Taste!) to EUR 325 for the advanced Wijs met Wijn Spijs pairing course, plus a EUR 295 Dutch wine specialty track. Ancillary revenue comes from the hospitality-focused book 'Ik verkoop wijn in de horeca' (EUR 12.50), gift vouchers, and customized B2B training for restaurants and hotels. The technology layer is a standard commercial stack: an online LMS for course registration, e-commerce for products, Spotler Mailplus for email, Google Analytics for site analytics, and presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube (including the WijnWijs educational video series).

Customer segments are primarily individual wine enthusiasts and hobbyists, with secondary demand from hospitality professionals (sommeliers, restaurant and hotel staff) and wine retail staff who require certified credentials or product knowledge. Distribution is fragmented across venue partners such as Hogere Hotelschool Amsterdam, De Rooi Pannen Breda, CT Kerk Den Haag, Van der Valk Groningen, Mabi Hotel Maastricht, Fjord Rotterdam, Geertekerk Utrecht, Mercure Hotel Zwolle, and Rijn IJssel Vakschool Wageningen. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Het Wijninstituut

Legal name

Het Wijninstituut

Website

https://wijninstituut.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Het Wijninstituut is a Rotterdam-based wine education provider, founded in 1996, offering SDEN-certified wine courses (levels 1-3), workshops, and exams across 12+ Dutch cities to individual enthusiasts, hospitality professionals, and wine retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Education & Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Beverage Craft Classes (Coffee, Tea, Mixology, Wine/Beer Education) (THAJAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Wine education courses
• Wine certification programs
• Wine tasting workshops
• Sommelier training
• SDEN wine diplomas

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wine Course Fees: One-time fees for attending wine courses ranging from single evening tastings to multi-session diploma programs (SDEN 1, 2, 3). Course prices range from €55 for Taste! to €325 for Wijs met Wijn Spijs.
2. Book Sales: Sale of wine-related books including 'Ik verkoop wijn in de horeca' at €12.50
3. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for courses or monetary amounts

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Het Wijninstituut delivers certified wine education courses, examinations, and workshops in the Netherlands, including SDEN levels 1, 2, and 3. The portfolio also covers wine-food pairing programs, single-evening introductory tastings, regional courses (Dutch, Italian), customized hospitality training, online SDEN2 courses, gift vouchers, and a book for wine sellers in the horeca sector. Courses are delivered at 12+ partner venues across the country, with nationally recognized diplomas issued via SDEN.

Product overview

Het Wijninstituut is a wine education organization founded in 1996, offering a comprehensive portfolio of wine courses, exams, workshops, and related products across the Netherlands. The core offering consists of SDEN-level wine courses (Proef Wijn, Wijnvignet SDEN 1, Wijnoorkonde SDEN 2, Wijnbrevet SDEN 3) that provide nationally recognized wine education from beginner to advanced levels. Specialized courses include wine and food pairing programs (Wijn Spijs, Wijs met Wijn Spijs), regional wine courses (Dutch, Italian), and single-evening tastings (Taste!, Proef Wijn). The portfolio also includes customized training for hospitality businesses, online learning options, workshops, proeverijen, gift vouchers, and the book 'Ik verkoop wijn in de horeca'. The organization maintains a pass rate above the national average (94%) and operates 12 course locations throughout the Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Proef wijn One-evening introductory wine tasting course covering basic wine tasting techniques and the ability to distinguish color, smell, and flavor of different grape varieties.
• Wijnvignet, SDEN 1 Two-part wine course teaching wine tasting fundamentals and wine characteristics; participants taste 6-8 wines per session and learn basic wine knowledge at SDEN 1 level.
• Wijnoorkonde, SDEN 2 Five-evening basic wine course for beginning wine enthusiasts and professionals, covering major wine regions and wine tasting techniques, leading to SDEN 2 diploma.
• Wijnbrevet, SDEN 3 One-year advanced wine education course for wine enthusiasts and professionals in wine trade or hospitality, providing in-depth wine knowledge at SDEN 3+ level.
• Werken met Wijn (WMW) SDEN 3+ level course focused on professional wine work, including wine and food pairing lessons and creating good combinations for the trade.
• Taste! One-evening English-language wine tasting course covering basic wine tasting tactics and major grape varieties, priced at €55 per person including handouts and wines.
• Wijn Spijs One-evening course teaching basic principles of wine and food pairing, with 7 wines and 5 dishes tasted, priced at €65 per person.
• Wijs met Wijn Spijs

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% pass rate on exams (above national average)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SDEN (Stichting Diplomering Eksterkring Nederland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDEN is the certifying body for Dutch wine education. Het Wijninstituut offers SDEN 1, 2, and 3 courses and administers exams on behalf of SDEN. Student exam data is shared with SDEN for diploma issuance.
• Grand Cru WijnenminorOthersSupplier of wine tasting boxes for the Live Proefwerk online course program. Provides 8 wines for €91.45 including delivery.
• Hogere Hotelschool AmsterdamminorOthersCourse venue for wine education in Amsterdam
• Restaurant Fjord RotterdamminorOthersCourse venue for wine education in Rotterdam
• Mercure Hotel ZwolleminorOthersCourse venue for wine education in Zwolle
• Rijn IJssel Vakschool WageningenminorOthersCourse venue for wine education in Wageningen

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Italian Wine Academy: Specialist Italian wine education provider with structured courses and certifications. Comparable for regional wine specialization that Het Wijninstituut also pursues (e.g., its Cursus Italiaanse Wijn); operates in a different geography.
• Deutsche Wein- und Sommelierschule: German wine and sommelier school offering structured wine education and certifications. Comparable as a German-language, DACH-region specialist competing for similar student profiles; not a direct Dutch competitor but operates in adjacent neighboring market.

Direct peers

• Wijnacademie Nederland: Dutch wine education institution offering courses, workshops, and certifications including SDEN-level programs. Comparable provider targeting the same Dutch enthusiast and hospitality student segments.
• Wine Scholar Guild: Specialized wine education provider offering country- and region-specific certification programs (French, Italian, Spanish). Comparable as a tiered certification model with structured curricula and exam-based credentials for enthusiasts and trade.
• Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): The leading global provider of wine, spirits, and sake education with tiered qualifications (Levels 1–4). Directly comparable as a multi-tier, internationally recognized wine certification body offering classroom and online courses to enthusiasts and hospitality professionals.
• Dutch Wine Academy: Dutch-based wine school offering SDEN-certified courses and tastings in the Netherlands. Direct competitor for the same SDEN curriculum and overlapping student pool of enthusiasts and hospitality professionals.
• Le Wine Room: Dutch wine school offering SDEN-certified courses and tasting events in the Netherlands. Direct head-to-head competitor for the same SDEN curriculum, Dutch enthusiast/hospitality audience, and major cities.
• International Wine Center: New York-based wine school offering Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses plus proprietary certifications. Comparable model of tiered, exam-based wine education delivered in physical venues for both enthusiasts and trade.

Broad incumbents

• Court of Master Sommeliers: Globally recognized sommelier certification body (Introductory, Certified, Advanced, Master tiers). Overlaps with Het Wijninstituut's professional-track target audience of hospitality sommeliers, but operates at a higher/prestige tier.

Others

• S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy / fine dining training programs: Adjacent culinary/hospitality training ecosystem that pairs food and beverage education. Comparable as a culinary-adjacent training provider whose audience (hospitality professionals) overlaps with Het Wijninstituut's horeca segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wijninstituut
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOlOY77xsWBywK4IRji60ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/Wijninstituut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/het-wijninstituut

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Het Wijninstituut