Hans stands with his coffee cart in the Leidsewallen shopping center: ‘You can get a delicious cake at the bakery’

Hans Goskens bought a brand new Piaggo Ape and had a coffee machine, grinder and water reservoir installed. Now he stands with his coffee tuk-tuk at Zoetermeer events and every Saturday in the Leidsewallen shopping center.

His location is between supermarket Jumbo and bakery Ammerlaan. “While people are queuing at the bakery, they order a cup of coffee from me.”

All the way from Limburg to Zoetermeer

Hans never lost his Limburg accent after he moved to Zoetermeer in 1996 for work. Born in Heerlenaar, he worked as a gardener at plant company Royal Lemkes in Bleiswijk. He still works there, but now as a logistics employee in the office. “Every working day I have three breaks when you usually meet me at the coffee machine. For me, those are moments of rest where I have a nice chat with colleagues.”

Italian tuk tuk

His dream was to one day start his own business. “I wanted to start a coffee shop, but it turned out to be too expensive. I sometimes saw mobile coffee carts at events, and I started looking into that. I visited a number of car dealerships that sell the typical Italian tuk-tuks.” It concerns the model Piaggo Ape that you increasingly encounter as a food, ice cream or coffee cart at events, for example. In Italian cities, they use it as a parcel delivery service to block freight traffic in the center. “I wanted a car like that too!”

Including built-in freezer

Hans bought a brand new model in white. The car dealer built in a machine, coffee bean grinder, battery, water reservoir and cooling. There was even room for a small built-in freezer so that he can store and sell ice creams in the summer. The coffee tuk-tuk was delivered to the home of the new, proud owner. “I can store it nicely in my garage at home and load it before I go out for an assignment.”

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Barista Hans offers only organic products in its mobile coffee cart: “I went to taste coffee at various wholesalers. In the end I opted for the coffee beans from Ekoplaza. In addition to the beans, the cookies, milk and sugar, the chocolate milk and tea are also organic.” Because parents regularly ask if he also has something to drink for the children, Hans sells two types of fruit juice. “That way everyone can order something to drink from me,” says Hans.

At the place of the oliebollen stall

Hans was asked for an event at the Zoete Aarde neighborhood garden and at the opening of the Franx art garage. “From this spring, I also had a location near the Rottemeren. But it cost me too much gas to drive there every time.” Hans found a new location in the Leidsewallen shopping center and decided to stand there every Saturday. “Twice I was accidentally in the wrong place”, Hans confesses. “First I occupied the place of the oliebollen stall, then that of the spring roll cart. Now I am on the right track, with my back to supermarket Jumbo.”

A cup of coffee in exchange for a visit to the toilet

At 08.00 Hans takes his tuk-tuk out of the garage and fills the cart with coffee, sugar, tea and other things. The shopping center is about ten blocks away from his house, so Hans can drive to Leidsewallen in a few minutes. “People are now starting to recognize me and get cappuccino, latte macchiato or hot chocolate before or after shopping, or at a long queue at the bakery. I add that they have to go to the bakery for a delicious cake with coffee. I occasionally hand out a cup of coffee to the employees in exchange for a visit to the toilet.”

Dad is calm again

Hans is proud that he dared to take the step to start his own business. “Entrepreneurship and my passion for coffee have come together”, says Hans. “Coffee provides a moment of rest during the day. During vacations in the past, we had to stop for a coffee break every few hours along the way. My daughter called for me at the counter as standard coffee with milk and sugar! Then I could sit back and enjoy the surroundings for the next two hours. My children then said so daddy is calm again.”