Flying Dutchmen takes on new co-owners
Alina Lucia and Rosa Moolenaar have joined Tess Posthumus as owners of the Flying Dutchmen Cocktails in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The news follows a split between the bar’s co-founders, with Posthumus and Timo Janse dividing their businesses in April 2025 after 16 years working together.
Posthumus maintained ownership of Flying Dutchmen Cocktails and Belly of the Beast, while Janse took responsibility for Dutch Courage, Amsterdam Cocktail Week and the Perfect Serve Barshow.
Lucia and Moolenaar both worked as bartenders at Flying Dutchmen Cocktails early in their careers and will now take on the role of operational directors.
Posthumus said: “The addition of Rosa and Alina reflects the philosophy of Flying Dutchmen Cocktails: growth based on talent and dedication to the craft.”
She also pointed to the bar’s rare position as fully female-owned, with only nine other bars in the Top 500 Bars list sharing the status: Cochinchina in Buenos Aires; La Sala de Laura in Bogotá; Milady’s and Clover Club in New York; Fura in Singapore; Kaito del Valle in Mexico; Combat in Paris; Toca da Raposa in Lisbon; and Elena Horto in Rio de Janeiro.
Lucia added: “At Flying Dutchmen Cocktails, it’s about offering equal opportunities. Inclusivity means creating space and growth opportunities for everyone with talent, regardless of gender. Quality, hospitality and knowledge are leading.”
With the two new co-owners on board, Posthumus will now focus more on strategy, creation and education. Since 2021, she has been on the board of directors of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) in New Orleans.
She said: “At Flying Dutchmen Cocktails, we want to teach Dutch bartenders and our guests to walk, run and eventually even fly through the world of cocktails. We do this by returning to the basics and starting with the classics.
“With the new ownership structure, I have the opportunity to deepen and anchor this mission further.
“We’ve noticed that young people learn differently from previous generations, so the bar world must look for new ways to share knowledge. I see this as an exciting project to work on.”
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