De VerbroederIJ
De VerbroederIJ is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (Stichting) in Amsterdam-Noord that operates a waterfront café, community garden, and event venue, serving local residents, low-income households, event guests, and volunteers through free programming, inclusive pricing, and donation-funded social projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What De VerbroederIJ does
De VerbroederIJ is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (Stichting De VerbroederIJ, KvK 73032875) operating ANBI-status social enterprise in Amsterdam-Noord, established in 2017 after winning a Stadsdeel Amsterdam-Noord competition for a neglected plot. Since 2018, the venue has operated from a relocated Katwijk beach pavilion at Johan van Hasseltweg 21, providing a waterfront city-beach, terrace, garden, and 80m² Strandzaal event space. The organization combines a hospitality business (café/restaurant with on-site food and beverage service and venue rental for weddings, corporate events, and private parties) with a community-programming platform offering free and subsidized activities including Mindful Chi Kung, De MoestuinderIJ gardening, De BewegerIJ outdoor sports, De BuurtmaaltIJd, De BurenBingo, and Socratisch Verbroederen. Signature projects include the MoestuinderIJ community garden, De ZagerIJ workshop, De ComposterIJ, the Barry & Rosita pig enclosure, and Helen's Free Food Market (serving 80 low-income households weekly with ~15 volunteers rescuing surplus food).
The business model is a hybrid of revenue-generating hospitality and donation/subsidy-funded community programming. Revenue streams comprise F&B sales (walk-in terrace service with QR-code ordering, advance reservations for groups of 15+), venue rental (quote-based bookings for the Strandzaal, capacity 125 indoors and up to 200 with the festival tent), and tax-deductible donations via the BijdragerIJ program under the foundation's ANBI status. An inclusive pricing mechanism includes a 50% Stadspas discount and a deferred-payment system where higher-income customers prepay for those with smaller budgets. Products from social-enterprise partners (Oma's Soep, De Prael, De Tweede Jeugd, Bijzonder Amserdams) are featured on the menu, reinforcing the mission-based supplier ecosystem. The hospitality team comprises approximately 40 staff, expanding to ~60 in spring/summer seasons.
Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: marketing is driven by WhatsApp broadcasts, Instagram (including a dedicated Barry & Rosita account), the website agenda, and word-of-mouth referrals. Distribution is single-venue and physical — walk-in service, online reservations, and direct venue rental inquiries via [email protected]. The organization serves a primary base of Amsterdam-Noord residents, low-income individuals, event guests, volunteers, and cultural practitioners. In 2024, a neighborhood petition with nearly 10,000 signatures secured a four-year municipal lease renewal, providing operational continuity through 2028. The organization is governed by a board whose composition includes Nienke Stumpel (Secretary) and Tania Spaans (Ambassador), with open positions for Chair and Treasurer.
De VerbroederIJ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De VerbroederIJ
- Legal name
- Stichting De VerbroederIJ
- Website
- https://deverbroederij.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- De VerbroederIJ is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (Stichting) in Amsterdam-Noord that operates a waterfront café, community garden, and event venue, serving local residents, low-income households, event guests, and volunteers through free programming, inclusive pricing, and donation-funded social projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
De VerbroederIJ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Hospitality Services
- NAICS
- Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Resort-Area Full-Service Hotels (Non–All-Inclusive) (THAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coastal & Island Eco-Resorts (THAAAHAG)
Keywords
Where De VerbroederIJ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
De VerbroederIJ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Food & Beverage Sales: Cafe and restaurant sales of food and drinks to walk-in guests and reservation holders at the terrace, beach, and indoor seating areas.
- Venue Rental: Rental of Strandzaal (80m2 event space) for parties, weddings, corporate events, and meetings. Capacity up to 125 people (200 with festival tent in summer).
- Donations and Membership (BijdragerIJ): Donations from supporters via BijdragerIJ program. Organization has ANBI status making gifts tax-deductible. Also receives deferred payments where wealthier customers pay for those with smaller budgets.
- Subsidized Activities: Many activities offered free or nearly free, funded through donations, partnerships, and subsidies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard cafe/restaurant pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Venue rental - contact for quote |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
De VerbroederIJ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De VerbroederIJ is a social enterprise that operates a waterfront café and restaurant (Eten & Drinken) on a city beach in Amsterdam-Noord, serving food and drinks on its terrace, beach, and garden seating. It also rents out the Strandzaal event space (80 m², up to 125–200 guests) for private celebrations, weddings, and corporate events, and runs a year-round calendar of free community activities and volunteer-led neighborhood projects.
Product overview
De VerbroederIJ is a community-focused social enterprise and hospitality venue in Amsterdam-Noord, structured as both a Stichting (foundation) offering free and subsidized community activities and a horecagelegenheid (hospitality business). Its core offerings comprise a café/restaurant (Eten & Drinken), a beachfront venue for rent (Zaalverhuur), a year-round community programming calendar (Buurtactiviteiten), multiple volunteer-run green and craft projects (Projecten), a volunteer and employment program (Werk mee), a platform for resident-initiated neighborhood initiatives (Buurtinitiatieven), and a donation program (BijdragerIJ). These services are unified by the mission of creating a welcoming, inclusive meeting place for all neighborhood residents regardless of background or budget.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Café / Horeca (Eten & Drinken) A café and hospitality service offering food and drinks to walk-in guests on the terrace, beach, and garden seating. The menu features vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options and includes a deferred-payment social initiative where customers can prepay for others.
- Zaalverhuur (Venue Rental - Strandzaal) Rental of the Strandzaal event space (80 m²) for meetings, parties, weddings, and corporate events, accommodating up to 125 people indoors and up to 200 with the seasonal festival tent and terrace.
- Buurtactiviteiten & Programmering (Community Activities & Programming) Year-round calendar of community events including De BuurtmaaltIJd (monthly shared dinner), De BurenBingo (monthly free bingo), De BewegerIJ (outdoor sports), live performances (Optreden aan 't IJ), and seasonal festivals such as BraderIJ, De ZomerpartIJ, and De BuurtPartIJ.
- Projecten (Community Projects) Multiple volunteer-run community projects: De MoestuinderIJ (vegetable garden), De ZagerIJ (construction and maintenance workshop), De ComposterIJ (community composting), Barry & Rosita (pig care), and the volunteer pool.
- Vrijwilligerswerk & Werkplek (Volunteering & Employment) Volunteer opportunities and paid hospitality positions, supporting roughly 40 (and up to ~60 in peak season) hospitality staff, volunteers, and intern placements. Includes the Ontwikkelplek program for people who find the regular job market less accessible.
- Buurtinitiatieven (Neighborhood Initiatives) A platform supporting resident-led community initiatives such as Helen's Free Food Market (food waste reduction serving 80 households weekly with 15 volunteers), Mindful Vrijdag (free meditation), and Hondenrestaurant Kwispel (dog-friendly dining). De VerbroederIJ assists with communication, space, and funding applications.
- BijdragerIJ (Donations Program) A donation program allowing supporters to contribute financially to sustain free and low-cost community activities. The foundation holds ANBI status, making donations potentially tax-deductible.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 10,000 community members signed petition to save De VerbroederIJ
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use De VerbroederIJ
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
De VerbroederIJ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
De VerbroederIJ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stadsdeel Amsterdam-NoordcoreIssued the competition for the neglected plot that De VerbroederIJ won, initiating the organization's establishment.
- Stichting De VerbroederijcoreThe parent foundation that operates De VerbroederIJ. Stichting De VerbroederIJ manages all charitable activities, volunteer programs, community projects, and venue operations. Donations can be made via the foundation's website.
- Amsterdam-Noord MunicipalitycoreWon a competition in 2017 and received 4-year contract extension after community petition. Municipality provides land access and recognized the venue's importance for the neighborhood.
- Oma's SoepminorSocial enterprise that brings lonely elderly and young volunteers together to make soup from leftover vegetables using original recipes from grandparents. Featured on De VerbroederIJ's menu.
- Bijzonder AmsterdamsminorPart of Cordaan organization. Neighbors come every Thursday to deliver homemade apple pie to De VerbroederIJ.
- De Tweede JeugdminorSocial enterprise making delicious tostis from unsold sourdough bread from bakeries. Combats bread waste while prioritizing taste. Featured on De VerbroederIJ's menu.
- De PraelminorBrewery with social mission to provide employment for people who have difficulty finding work elsewhere. Not day activity or therapy but real work. Their beer is served at De VerbroederIJ.
- Afval naar OogstminorProvides compost mills for the ComposterIJ project, enabling community composting from food and garden waste. 100+ neighborhood residents can deposit their organic waste.
- Helen's Free Food MarketcoreWeekly food rescue program hosted at De VerbroederIJ. With ~15 volunteers, they collect surplus products from bakers, greengrocers, supermarkets, and wholesalers. 80 households with limited budgets save food from waste.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
De VerbroederIJ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Restaurant De Kas: Established Amsterdam greenhouse restaurant with a strong sustainability and farm-to-table mission, comparable in combining hospitality with environmental/social mission positioning though at a much higher price point and scale.
- Pakhuis de Zwijger: Large Amsterdam venue combining food/drink service with community programming, debates, and events, comparable as a hybrid hospitality-community platform though at significantly larger scale.
- Volkshotel: Amsterdam social-enterprise hotel and creative venue combining accommodations, café/bar, events, and community programming, comparable as a hospitality venue with explicit social mission in the Amsterdam market.
Direct peers
- NDSM-Loods: Creative community hub in Amsterdam-Noord hosting events, food vendors, and cultural programming in repurposed industrial space, comparable in geography, community-led model, and event-venue function.
- Café de Ceuvel: Amsterdam-based social-enterprise café and creative workspace that combines hospitality with sustainability programming and a mission-driven brand, comparable in operational model and values alignment.
- Noorderpark Café: Neighborhood café located in Amsterdam-Noord's Noorderpark serving local residents with a community-oriented, casual hospitality model comparable to De VerbroederIJ's café-and-terrace concept.
- Roest Amsterdam: Creative waterfront venue in Amsterdam-Oost combining café/restaurant service with events, markets, and community programming on a former industrial site, comparable in waterfront-event venue positioning.
- Pllek: Waterfront café, restaurant and event venue on the IJ river in Amsterdam-Noord with a beach/terrace format and community programming, directly comparable to De VerbroederIJ's location, venue mix, and target audience.
Emerging players
- De Voedseltuin: Dutch social enterprise operating food gardens with volunteer-driven production for low-income households, comparable in the food-rescue / community-garden / volunteer model embedded at De VerbroederIJ.
- Buurtcampus Oost: Amsterdam community initiative combining learning, food, and neighborhood programming with a café component, comparable in community-enterprise hybrid model and inclusive-pricing philosophy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
De VerbroederIJ social profiles
Digital presenceDe VerbroederIJ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De VerbroederIJ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
De VerbroederIJ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De VerbroederIJ M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about De VerbroederIJ
What does De VerbroederIJ do?
De VerbroederIJ is a social enterprise that operates a waterfront café and restaurant (Eten & Drinken) on a city beach in Amsterdam-Noord, serving food and drinks on its terrace, beach, and garden seating. It also rents out the Strandzaal event space (80 m², up to 125–200 guests) for private celebrations, weddings, and corporate events, and runs a year-round calendar of free community activities and volunteer-led neighborhood projects.
Is De VerbroederIJ a public or private company?
De VerbroederIJ is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was De VerbroederIJ founded?
De VerbroederIJ was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is De VerbroederIJ based?
De VerbroederIJ is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De VerbroederIJ make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food & Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Rental, donations and Membership (BijdragerIJ) and subsidized Activities.
Who are De VerbroederIJ's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Restaurant De Kas, Pakhuis de Zwijger and Volkshotel. Direct peers are NDSM-Loods, Café de Ceuvel, Noorderpark Café, Roest Amsterdam and Pllek. Emerging players are De Voedseltuin and Buurtcampus Oost.
Does De VerbroederIJ have an API?
No public API is recorded for De VerbroederIJ.
What industry is De VerbroederIJ in?
De VerbroederIJ's product category is Community Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAAAD, Resort-Area Full-Service Hotels (Non–All-Inclusive), with a secondary code of THAAAHAG, Coastal & Island Eco-Resorts. Its NAICS code is 722 and its SIC code is 7000.