Meet our team
Sabien Poutsma
is the founder and owner of Blik op Cacao.
Her roots lie in art, and her passion is storytelling as a guide at, for instance, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. She has decorated her shop like a true 19th-century set. Every time, she manages to find the most original cocoa products, with values such as “fair and authentic” held in the highest regard. She knows everything about cocoa, and once she starts talking, she doesn’t stop.
Since 2013, she was the founder and owner of CacaoLab | DropLab. The COVID-19 pandemic brought that to an end. In June 2021, she confidently embarked on a new adventure with Blik op Cacao to once again share the story of the Zaan region’s cocoa industry and its fascinating history.
Anne-Marij Merhottein
She takes care of everything related to personnel and organization. Not surprising, since alongside her work at BoC, she also runs her own practice as a career coach. Her focus is on communication, and if needed, she even speaks a word across the border. Very handy in this international environment.
Corina Bosma
An “early bird” employee from the very start. She works as a manager in the shop, handles tasks in the office, takes care of purchasing, organizes the stock, and does the administration. What doesn’t she do? Is it any wonder that one of her infamous sayings is: “I’ll just take care of it..!”
Marion van der Putten
As an experienced teacher, she is our all-knowing expert. She is a leader who knows how to guide the team effectively. She can also tell you everything about cocoa. Marion knows how to combine knowledge with humor, so there’s plenty of laughter on the work floor.
Rasjel
is all about the details, our very own “Pietje Precies” (stickler for precision). It’s great to have a manager who brings order to the chaos. With so many young team members in the shop, that’s sometimes really necessary. Besides chocolate, she loves dance and sports, so it’s no surprise that under her leadership, the team sings and dances while tidying up after closing time.
Junior team
Our junior team loves their work and are always enthusiastic about helping our visitors. They enjoy sharing their passion for cacao and chocolate while making every visit fun and memorable.