The Story
DAK Coffee Roasters was founded in the summer of 2019 by Louis-Philippe Boucher and Veronique Lagarde, a couple from Montreal, Canada, who had spent years roaming across Europe before settling in Amsterdam . The name comes from the Dutch word for roof, inspired by the moment Louis-Philippe was sitting on the roof of their Amsterdam home, drinking coffee, when the idea to start a roastery crystallized into a plan . Both had spent years working in finance and marketing respectively before deciding to leave their corporate careers behind and pursue their shared passion for specialty coffee.
After living in Italy and the United Kingdom, Louis-Philippe and Veronique found their home in Amsterdam, a city with a thriving specialty coffee culture and a population open to the kind of light, expressive roasting they wanted to explore . They built DAK from the ground up, handling everything from sourcing and roasting to branding and fulfillment, and quickly earned a reputation in the European specialty scene for coffees that balanced approachability with genuine complexity . The couple’s outsider perspective, arriving as Canadians in the Dutch coffee world, gave them a freedom to experiment without being beholden to any single roasting tradition.
DAK has grown into one of Amsterdam’s most recognized specialty roasters, distributed across Europe and into North America through partnerships with retailers like Eight Ounce Coffee and Dayglow . Their distinctive branding, commitment to eco-friendly packaging, and consistently excellent coffees have built a loyal following among drinkers who appreciate both the classic and the experimental ends of the specialty spectrum . For a company founded just a few years ago by two people with no prior coffee industry experience, DAK’s trajectory has been remarkable.
Sourcing & Relationships
DAK selects coffees based on unique tasting profiles and full traceability, working only with suppliers who share their values around farmer compensation and ethical trade . It is a foundational principle that the farmers who grow DAK’s coffees are paid fairly and can afford to live in good conditions, and the company enters into partnerships exclusively with importers and exporters who can demonstrate broad awareness of and commitment to the producers they represent . Origins on the current menu typically span Colombia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Costa Rica, with occasional lots from less common origins that catch Louis-Philippe’s attention on the cupping table.
The sourcing philosophy is guided by curiosity as much as ethics . DAK actively seeks out coffees processed through a range of methods including washed, honey, semi-washed, and various anaerobic and natural techniques, ensuring that their menu always includes something unexpected alongside more familiar profiles . This willingness to explore processing diversity means that DAK’s offerings can range from a pristine washed Ethiopian with jasmine and citrus to a funky anaerobic Colombian with tropical fruit and wine-like fermentation character.
Roasting Philosophy
DAK leads with curiosity in the roasting room, remaining open-minded as the specialty coffee industry continues to evolve and introduce new processing and fermentation methods . This adaptiveness is central to what makes DAK’s menu so varied: rather than committing to a single roast philosophy, they approach each coffee as its own puzzle, adjusting the profile to highlight what makes that particular lot distinctive . The result is a catalog where light, expressive roasts dominate but where the definition of light is flexible enough to accommodate both delicate florals and bold, fruit-forward fermentation flavors.
Louis-Philippe handles the roasting personally, drawing on years of self-taught experimentation and a growing network of peers in the European specialty community . The roasting approach tends to preserve acidity and aromatic complexity while developing enough sweetness and body to keep the coffees accessible to a broad audience . DAK’s coffees are designed to perform well across brew methods, from pour-over to espresso, and the team regularly provides brewing recommendations to help customers get the most from each lot.
What to Try
DAK intentionally maintains a split menu that always includes some funky and experimental coffees alongside more classic origins, ensuring there is something for every palate . The experimental side might feature an anaerobic natural from Colombia with notes of tropical fruit, candy, and wine, while the classic side could offer a washed Ethiopian with clean citrus and floral elegance . This contrast is the best way to understand what DAK is about: a roaster that refuses to choose between tradition and innovation.
The eco-friendly packaging is worth noting as well: every bag is 100 percent recyclable, aluminum-free, and CO2-neutral, and shipping boxes are made from recycled materials printed with water-based ink . DAK ships across Europe and into North America through partner retailers, making their Amsterdam-roasted coffees accessible to a global audience . For those visiting the Netherlands, DAK’s presence in Amsterdam’s specialty coffee shops offers a chance to taste their coffees freshly brewed in the city where it all started on a rooftop with a good cup and a big idea.