Direct-to-consumer coffee brand Ray & Jules expands into the Netherlands

Ray & Jules, one of Belgium’s fastest-growing coffee brands, is moving to a new roastery near Leuven and preparing to expand into the Netherlands. The impact-driven company has already raised over one million euros through crowdfunding.

In talks with Dutch partners

Since its launch in 2017, Ray & Jules has grown into a direct-to-consumer coffee brand with tens of thousands of loyal coffee drinkers, over 2 million euros in revenue through its own web shop, and a positive bottom line. The brand positions itself as fresh, sustainable, and fair-trade. Its growth did not come through traditional retail, but via its own e-commerce platform, subscription plans, and partnerships.

While Ray & Jules aims to continue growing in Belgium by further expanding its subscription offerings and taking its first targeted steps into specialty retail, the company is also looking toward the Netherlands. Without a traditional market launch, the brand already has several thousand customers there. The expansion builds on that existing momentum: Ray & Jules is actively engaged in discussions with potential Dutch partners to accelerate growth locally. The new factory near Leuven is intended to support that growth while also serving as an international showcase and test center for the technology behind the brand.

Clean technology

Because Ray & Jules is more than just a coffee brand: together with its sister company CEE, the company has developed an innovative technology that roasts coffee using solar energy, on a large scale. Traditionally, coffee is roasted using gas, an outdated, energy-intensive process that emits millions of tons of CO2 every year. Ray & Jules’ technology consumes 2.5 to 3 times less energy. More than 40 industrial players in the EU, North and South America, and Asia have already shown interest in the technology. Industry-wide application in coffee, cocoa, and malt could prevent between 3 and 5 million tons of CO₂ per year.

Ray & Jules secured the funding for its growth ambitions through Broccoli, the Dutch-Belgian investment platform with a strong commitment to sustainability. In less than 24 hours after going live, the company had already raised over 1 million euros. The goal has since been raised to 1.5 million.