ABOUT
DNM
Our Philosophy
We believe that food is a basic human right that every student should have access to. That’s why we operate as a non-profit.
A new canteen for everyone
We started De Nieuwe Mensa with a clear goal: Provide affordable, healthy, and sustainable food for every student at the University of Amsterdam.
Our Journey — Timeline
In February of 2023, a few students were fed up with the high food prices, so they formed 'ANTIKANTINE': a protest movement against the high prices.
A NEW CANTEEN - FOR STUDENTS, NOT PROFIT
We believe that food is a human right, and that it should be accessible to everyone. Sadly, the Netherlands are expensive, and for-profit businesses (such as the other canteen stalls) end up charging prices that are unsustainable for most students.
To combat this situation, we run as a non-profit, charging as little as we possibly can while ensuring high-quality food and fair wages for our cooks.
OUR PLEDGE TO SUSTAINABILITY
We work exclusively with local suppliers to provide our ingredients, ensuring that the food we make is as sustainable as it can be.
OREGIONAL
Oregional is a Dutch supplier for fresh regional produce, offered at a fair price. What makes them special is their effort to reduce food waste by offering second-rate ("ugly") produce.
AUTHENTIC INDIA
Authentic India is a cozy grocery store near the Dappermarkt. They supply us with nearly all of the spices and condiments that make our food as delicious as it is.
BD-TOTAAL
BD-Totaal is an organic food supplier that focuses on providing sustainable, environmentally aware, and biodiversity friendly food options. We primarily use BD-Totaal for rice, some of our vegetables and tomatoes to ensure that our food is biodiverse and organic for your health and peace of mind.
JOYBUY
Joybuy is an online retailer specializing primarily in pan-Asian ingredients that we use across our lineup of dishes, particularly our fan-favorite Japanese curry.
A PLANT-BASED CANTEEN
De Nieuwe Mensa only sells plant-based meals, which has several benefits for our cause.
Sustainable
Meat consumes more water and has a larger carbon footprint than plants.
Accessible
Plant-based meals are also accessible to students that don’t eat meat.
Affordable
Plant-based meals are often cheaper than those containing meat.
Ethical
Plant-based meals reflect considerations around animal welfare.
BUILT WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS
Supported by partners who believe in our mission and help bring it to life.
KRITERION
De Nieuwe Mensa is supported by the Kriterion foundation, who pays board grants to the volunteers organizing DNM as a compensation for the work they put in. Doing so, Kriterion supports our mission to make DNM a long-lasting and influential project. Furthermore, they offer help and guidance with legal questions.
BIODIVERSITEIT OP JE BORD
We joined the "Biodiversiteit op je bord" program as ambassadors in October 2025. The Dutch Cuise initiative, supported by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and the WWF, promotes more biodiversity in food systems. As ambassadors, we ensure that at least 50% of our menu meets their standards. In practice, this means our meals exclude red-listed ingredients and always include at least one biodiverse main ingredient.
AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY FUND
De Nieuwe Mensa received a 5000€ grant from the Amsterdam University Fund. With their support, we can continue to expand our impact, strengthen our student community and ensure that De Nieuwe Mensa remains a sustainable and inspiring part of campus life at the UvA.
OUR TEAM
Our team consist of two interconnected parts: The board running the administrative side, and the cooks who make the food. Some board members are also cooks, and some cooks are also board members - we are one big team!
The Board
Meet the motivated students who are working on the administrative side of De Nieuwe Mensa.
