A Matter of Concrete
Sources: A Matter of Concrete (website)
A Matter of Concrete (A.M.O.C.) is a Rotterdam-based specialty coffee roastery founded in 2021 by Rob (@robc.cc), housed in the historic Van Nelle Factory — a 1920s UNESCO World Heritage building and formerly the largest coffee roastery in Europe. The brand is built on competition-grade quality, blind cupping selection, direct sourcing, and uncompromising transparency.
Key fact for Kaiserblick: AMOC already stocks Maragesha and Pink Bourbon from Colombian producers at premium price points (up to €142/bag ex-VAT). They have a dedicated APEX tier for World competition-level coffees. El Salvador is not in their current range — clean slate.
Overview
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Van Nelle Factory, Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | Rob (@robc.cc) |
| Roaster | Loring S35 Kestrel (energy-efficient, premium) |
| Quality tools | Sovda color sorter; dedicated tasting room |
| Energy | Gold Standard certified (CO2 neutral gas, renewable electricity) |
| Website | https://amatterofconcrete.com |
| Wholesale | wholesale@amatterofconcrete.com |
Founder background
Rob won Coffee Masters London 2019 — the industry’s most demanding multi-discipline competition. He also won the National Brewers Cup, Barista Championship, Latte Art Championship, and Aeropress Championships. He spent 8 years as a head roaster and 6 years as a coffee entrepreneur before founding AMOC.
The brand’s name reflects the Van Nelle Factory’s concrete architecture and the founder’s philosophy: “niet lullen, maar poetsen” (no-nonsense, let’s get to work) — decisions based on vision and hard data.
Coffee tier structure
AMOC organises its coffees into four tiers, each with a distinct brief:
| Tier | Description |
|---|---|
| CLASSIC | Clean, balanced profiles true to origin — the best of a classic origin type |
| UNCOMMON | More outspoken profile for everyday drinking |
| MONO/RARE | Nanolots, experimental processing, single-variety, one-off experiences |
| APEX | Highest expression — rarer the better; World competition level |
The MONO/RARE and APEX tiers are explicitly designed for coffees like Bernardina, Sudan Rume, or Pink Bourbon from high-altitude El Salvador micro-lots.
Selection philosophy
Coffee is selected via blind cuppings. Every coffee gets an equal chance on the table — no origin bias, no relationship-based buying. Rob has described passing entire cupping tables when nothing meets the standard, and buying everything when the table is exceptional. This means samples must genuinely win on cup quality.
“All our coffees are fully traceable to their farm, most of which we work directly with the farmer or processing plant.”
Current coffee range
No El Salvador in the current range. Origins include Colombia, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Indonesia. Price range runs from €7.5 to €133.5 ex-VAT per bag, with kilo pricing up to €145/kg ex-VAT.
MONO/RARE (selected)
| Coffee | Origin | Variety | Processing | Price (ex-VAT/bag) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PINK BOURBON² — Wilton Benitez | Colombia | Pink Bourbon | — | €14.0–€115.6 |
| MARAGESHA — Wilder Lazo | Colombia, Huila | Maragesha | Washed Anaerobic 120h | €15.1–€129.9 |
| GESHA — La Quebraditas | Colombia | Gesha | — | €14.2–€119.3 |
| GESHA — Las Marias | Colombia | Gesha | — | €14.7–€111.6 |
| SIDRA | WUSH WUSH — La Reserva | Ecuador | Sidra / Wush Wush | — | €17.0–€132.0 |
| TYPICA — Nogales | Colombia | Typica | — | €9.9–€85.9 |
| CATUAÍ — Abu | Panama | Catuaí | — | €12.3–€91.0 |
| CATURRA DECAF / TYPICA DECAF — Nogales | Colombia | — | — | €12.9–€87.6 |
| DRIP/BREW BAGS — Maragesha | Colombia | Maragesha | Washed Anaerobic | €3.2–€27.1 |
Rest of range (selected)
| Coffee | Origin | Price (ex-VAT/bag) |
|---|---|---|
| /001³ Brazil — São Domingos | Brazil | €10.7–€103.2 |
| /025 Ethiopia — Mr. Ocholo Bedecho | Ethiopia | €13.0–€133.5 |
| /046 Costa Rica — El Churro | Costa Rica | €18.5–€59.0 |
| /052 Colombia — Julián Calderón | Colombia | €22.2–€80.8 |
| /055 Colombia — Luis Aguirre | Colombia | €18.3–€65.4 |
| JAVA Indonesia — Supriyanto | Indonesia | €8.8–€61.6 |
| LAURINA Indonesia — Supriyanto | Indonesia | €7.5–€63.1 |
| ROSADO Colombia — El Jaragual | Colombia | €9.2–€64.1 |
| DECAF — El Trebol Colombia | Colombia | €11.4–€39.8 |
Varieties of interest
Two varieties in AMOC’s current MONO/RARE range directly overlap with Kaiserblick’s growing programme:
Maragesha (Maragogipe × Gesha hybrid): AMOC sources it from Wilder Lazo in Huila, Colombia — washed anaerobic, 120-hour fermentation, sold as whole beans, drip bags, and brew bags up to €142/bag ex-VAT. Kaiserblick grows Maragesha in El Salvador. This is the single most direct variety connection — “you already love Maragesha; here’s a new terroir expression.”
Pink Bourbon: AMOC sources it from Wilton Benitez in Colombia — up to €126/bag ex-VAT. Pink Bourbon is grown in El Salvador’s specialty farms and is part of Kaiserblick’s variety portfolio. A Salvadoran Pink Bourbon would be a different origin, altitude, and fermentation story from what AMOC currently carries.
Wholesale programme
AMOC actively supplies cafes, restaurants, and bars worldwide.
- Contact: wholesale@amatterofconcrete.com
- Packaging options: AMOC Jar (reusable PET), Refill (lightweight PP, 40% lighter), Kilo Bag (high barrier)
- Sample sets: available in ±20g sachets upon wholesale registration; curated for cupping
- Shipping: Free NL (€50+), EU/UK (€250+), Worldwide (€1,500+)
“We also love working with dedicated partners. If you’re interested in having A.M.O.C. on bar at all times as an ambassador, mention it in your email.”
Sustainability
- Loring S35 Kestrel: among the most energy-efficient roasters available
- Sovda color sorter for quality control
- Gold Standard energy supply (CO2-neutral gas, renewable electricity)
- Recyclable PET jars (reusable); refill vacuum-pack PP; sustainable kilo bag
- Philosophy: reduce, reuse, recycle — “more than just a leaf on a label”
Fit assessment for Kaiserblick
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Geography | Rotterdam, Netherlands — core Kaiserblick export market |
| El Salvador | Not in range — clean slate |
| Tier fit | APEX and MONO/RARE — built for Kaiserblick’s premium micro-lots |
| Variety overlap | Maragesha ✓ (sells from Colombia); Pink Bourbon ✓ (sells from Colombia) |
| Selection process | Blind cupping — samples must win independently |
| Pricing tier | €7–€133/bag ex-VAT; willing to pay premium for exceptional lots |
| Roast profile | Loring S35 → light roast → aligns with Kaiserblick |
| Organic cert required | Not mentioned |
| Direct trade | Yes — “most” producers known directly |
| Wholesale active | Global — cafes, restaurants, bars worldwide |
WoC Brussels 2026 strategy
Status: HIGH fit. One of the highest-potential targets in the batch — the APEX tier was created for exactly this kind of coffee.
Outreach approach: Competition background means Rob respects quality without marketing fluff. Lead with the cup, not the story. The Maragesha connection is the strongest opener: you already carry Maragesha from Colombia; here’s an expression from El Salvador at altitude with different fermentation — put it on a cupping table.
Proposed lots for sample submission:
- Maragesha from El Salvador — direct variety match with their existing MONO/RARE catalogue
- Bernardina or Sudan Rume — ultra-rare, APEX-tier candidates; Bernardina placed 3rd at 2019 Taza de Excelencia
- Pink Bourbon from El Salvador — matches their current MONO/RARE Pink Bourbon (Colombia), new origin
Important: Pre-register for a wholesale account before WoC. Send samples for blind cupping consideration before requesting a meeting — do not pitch marketing narrative to a competition judge.