Ten Years of Next Level Smart: Our Story So Far

Ten years. In the world of online retail, that's a lifetime. In human terms, it's enough time for children to grow up, friendships to deepen and for you to discover who you truly are. For us at Next Level Smart, it's the time it took for a small idea to grow into something we're proud of every single day. Our webshop went live in early 2016. Today, we celebrate that — together with you.

How it started: from ceremony to webshop

The story of Next Level actually begins before the webshop. In August 2013, during a ceremony with plant medicines, the founders gained clarity: Next Level needed to take physical form. The very next day, the right space became available in the city centre of Zwolle, and in September 2013 we opened the doors of our shop on Steenstraat.

A unique community quickly formed around the shop. Musicians, artists, free thinkers and curious souls found their way to us. And with that community came the question, again and again: "Can we order this online too?"

That was the starting gun. Rey, one of our very first team members, began building the webshop single-handedly. A year and a half of dedicated work. Over 1,400 products, each needing its own description, photograph and listing. The first Rapé pots were prepared at home in simple plastic containers, labelled with stickers from a basic black-and-white printer. The very first blends: Rapé Murici, Pau Pereira and Canela do Velho — entrusted directly by medicine men from the Amazon.

One of the very first Rapé pots, with a black-and-white label from the printer

In early 2016, the webshop went live. The very first order? A single 15-gram pack of Magic Truffles Dragon's Dynamite. Ten years on, it remains one of our best-selling products. Alongside truffles, our initial range included Magic Truffles Atlantis, shamanic items such as talking sticks and smudge products, and bongs.

From Zwolle to 29 countries

In the early months, we shipped exclusively within the Netherlands. But orders from Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg soon followed. It turned out that the appetite for authentic, carefully sourced products reached far beyond our borders.

Today, we ship to 29 European countries and the United Kingdom — from Portugal to Finland, from Ireland to Cyprus. Every parcel is packed with the same care as that very first order in 2016. With Track & Trace, discreet packaging, and personal attention.

Six months after launch, the shop had already outgrown its space for handling both retail and online orders. The webshop moved to its own dedicated location — more room for storage, packing and growth. The physical shop kept running — as a store and a meeting place. Two pillars, one mission.

Left: the shop on Steenstraat where it all began. Right: parcels ready for shipping.

From 1 to 20: the team behind the scenes

What started as a one-person operation grew step by step. After Rey, two colleagues joined early on, and together — the three of them — they laid the foundation for what Next Level Smart is today.

There are now 20 people working in the webshop. Did we deliberately stay small? Yes and no. We grew where it was needed, but we never pursued growth for the sake of growth. Everyone knows each other, everyone knows what's going on, and everyone contributes in their own unique way.

The vibe on the work floor is warm and relaxed. There's plenty of humour, a genuine interest in spirituality, but just as much lightness. We work hard, yet there's always room for team outings and time together beyond the warehouse. Because a good team isn't built behind a desk alone.

The webshop in its early days

What's grown in 10 years

In 2016, we started with truffles, shamanic items and a handful of Rapé blends. In the years that followed, both our range and the knowledge behind it expanded.

Ceremonial cacao is a great example. Cacao ceremonies were slowly gaining recognition across the Netherlands and Europe, and we had the opportunity to offer high-quality ceremonial cacao from Peru. Today, it's one of our most beloved categories. Read more in our comprehensive cacao guide.

The same goes for sound healing instruments: singing bowls, shamanic drums and other instruments that are increasingly present in ceremonies and healing sessions. And functional mushrooms such as Lion's Mane and Reishi — products that were barely known ten years ago and are now used daily by thousands of people.

Today, our most popular categories include:

• Rapé — still the beating heart of our range. Read everything about Rapé here
• Kratom — a wide selection of carefully sourced kratom
• Shamanic items — kuripes, tepis, instruments, ceremonial tools
• Grow kits & Magic Truffles — from Golden Teacher grow kits to our classic truffles
• Ceremonial cacao, microdosing, supplements and much more

The core hasn't shifted a millimetre

Ten years isn't long, but the internet moves fast. The way people search, order and consume information has shifted considerably. The pace is higher, attention spans are shorter, and there's more noise than ever. At the same time, there's a counter-movement: more and more people are consciously seeking calm, depth and a connection with nature.

Our core hasn't shifted a millimetre in all of that. We want to build a bridge between the wisdom of indigenous peoples and the West. With the traditions, customs and deep wisdom of the tribes forever in our hearts. Our journey began deeply rooted in ceremonies with plant medicines. Through facilitating these ceremonies and inviting medicine men, women and shamans, extraordinary friendships were formed. Those relationships still form the foundation of our work to this day.

Sometimes, Rapé makers from the Amazon travel to the Netherlands to come together in ceremony. Those moments remind us exactly why we do what we do.

The shop: where it all began

The Next Level Lifestyle Store on Steenstraat in Zwolle is still very much alive. It's the place where the story began and where you're always welcome to discover products, share experiences, and simply drop in. If you're ever in the area — the door is open. Want to know more about who we are? Read our About Us page.

A message to you

Life moves fast. Many people today are switched on from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep. The pressure to constantly engage with the outside world is real.

What we've learnt in these ten years is that our products are needed now more than ever. They serve as an anchor. They bring you back to yourself in moments when the world is shouting too loudly. Our herbs and plant medicines give you the space to truly feel again, to pause and simply be.

The focus is almost always on the outside — on performing and reacting. We say: go back inside. Especially in this acceleration, it's essential to stay true to yourself, to find your own truth and to live from that place of calm.

We see the division in the world too, but we believe we don't need to participate in that polarisation. You don't need to pick a side to belong. Choosing balance — your own inner balance — matters far more than choosing a side. That inner peace isn't just a gift to yourself, but to the people around you as well.

We want to thank you for crossing that bridge with us towards more awareness and stillness for the past ten years.