What Caffe Vergnano does

Caffè Vergnano is the oldest Italian coffee roasting company, founded in 1882 by Domenico Vergnano in Chieri, Italy, and operated as Casa del Caffè Vergnano S.p.A. under four generations of family ownership, currently led by CEO Carolina Vergnano. Headquartered in Santena (Turin) with the original roasting plant still anchored in Chieri, the company produces coffee using traditional slow-roasting methods and operates across both consumer and professional channels in 19+ countries.

The company's core product platform spans compostable and standard coffee capsules compatible with Nespresso, Lavazza A Modo Mio, and Nescafé Dolce Gusto systems, E.S.E. paper pods, ground coffee, and whole bean coffees (including 100% Arabica lines). The Èspresso 1882 compostable capsule range, Vinçotte OK Compost certified since 2015, is a defining technical and sustainability differentiator, with 60 million units sold globally by 2017. Adjacent offerings include proprietary TRÈ/TRÈ+/Trè Espresso Azzurra machines, Moka pots (including an Alessi collaboration), ceramic and porcelain cups (Mirror Cup, Montagna line), R-PET reusable takeaway cups (Quy Cup), and a 3D Tin Configurator for personalized packaging. Service and ecosystem layers include the Accademia Vergnano barista training academy, the Vergnano World Cup competition, the Coffee Shop 1882 franchise concept, the Bar Women in Coffee social-impact franchise, and the Street Coffee mobile vending solution.

Revenue mechanics combine D2C e-commerce (free shipping in Italy over €40), subscription deliveries, mainstream supermarket and specialty retail distribution (including Eataly), dedicated HoReCa field sales for bars/hotels/restaurants, vending operator supply, hardware and merchandise sales, and franchise/royalty income from Coffee Shop 1882 and Bar Women in Coffee locations. Customer segmentation is horizontal, with parallel primary segments in individual coffee consumers and professional HoReCa operators. A multi-channel marketing engine, including a blog hub, branded hashtags (#bevicompostabilmente, #vergnanogoodhabits), email newsletter with 10% first-purchase discount, ESG partnerships (3Bee, Impastiamo), and cause marketing through the Women in Coffee initiative, supports brand-building across these channels.

Name

Caffe Vergnano

Legal name

Casa del Caffè Vergnano S.p.A.

Website

https://caffevergnano.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Caffè Vergnano is Italy's oldest coffee roaster (founded 1882), family-owned across four generations, producing compostable and standard capsules, beans, and machines for consumers, HoReCa operators, and franchisees in 19+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coffee Roasting & Coffee Products

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)

Keywords

• Italian coffee roasting
• Compostable coffee capsules
• Espresso blends
• HoReCa coffee supply
• Coffee shop franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Turin

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Products: Sale of coffee products including capsules (compatible with Nespresso, Lavazza A Modo Mio, Dolce Gusto), E.S.E. pods, ground coffee, and whole beans to consumers through retail and e-commerce channels. Primary revenue stream with widespread distribution in supermarkets and specialty stores.
2. Coffee Shop Franchise Revenue: Revenue from Coffee Shop 1882 franchise operations including design, setup, and ongoing supply of coffee products to franchise locations. Franchisees operate branded café locations using Vergnano coffee and equipment.
3. Professional/HoReCa Channel: Supply of coffee products and equipment to bars, hotels, restaurants, and vending operators. Includes dedicated product lines for professional use and equipment sales.
4. Merchandise and Accessories: Sale of branded merchandise including Moka pots, cups, coffee machines, and accessories. Products like the Alessi Moka collaboration, Mirror Cup, and coffee machine sides generate additional revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caffè Vergnano is an Italian coffee roasting company that produces and sells authentic espresso coffee in multiple formats including compostable capsules compatible with Nespresso, Lavazza A Modo Mio, and Nescafé Dolce Gusto systems, E.S.E. pods, ground coffee, and whole bean coffee. The company also manufactures and distributes branded coffee machines (TRÈ, TRÈ+), Moka pots including an Alessi collaboration, ceramic cups, and reusable R-PET takeaway cups, alongside operating a coffee shop franchise (Coffee Shop 1882), professional barista training academy (Accademia Vergnano), and B2B supply programs for the HoReCa, hotel, office, and vending channels.

Product overview

Caffè Vergnano is an Italian coffee roasting company founded in 1882, offering a comprehensive portfolio of coffee products and services. The core product offering centers on compostable and compatible coffee capsules (Nespresso, Lavazza A Modo Mio, Dolce Gusto formats), E.S.E. pods, ground coffee, and whole bean coffee sold under the Èspresso 1882 and main brand lines. The product range extends to complementary hardware including coffee machines (TRÈ, TRÈ+, Trè Espresso Azzurra), Moka pots, ceramic cups, and reusable takeaway cups (Quy Cup line). The company operates multiple sub-brands including the Pink Collection and Women in Coffee initiative supporting female empowerment. Service offerings include the 3D Tin Configurator platform for personalized coffee tins, the Caffetteria 1882 coffee shop franchise, Accademia Vergnano barista training academy, and the Vergnano World Cup competition. Products are available through retail (supermarkets, Eataly), e-commerce, and professional channels for HoReCa, hotels, offices, and vending.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Èspresso1882: Mass-market range of compostable coffee capsules compatible with Nespresso machines
• Pink Collection
• Women in Coffee
• Accademia Vergnano
• Coffee Shop 1882
• Quy Cup
• Montagna

Products and services

• Compostable Coffee Capsules (Capsule Compostabili) Compostable coffee capsules available in three compatibility formats (Nespresso, Lavazza A Modo Mio, and Nescafé Dolce Gusto) and multiple blend compositions for home espresso preparation. Sold to individual consumers via e-commerce, supermarkets, and specialty retail.
• E.S.E. Pods (Cialde)

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 million compostable capsules sold globally in 2017
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 3BeeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2021Partnership for bee conservation and adoption programs supporting World Bee Day (May 20). Caffè Vergnano sponsored beehive adoption through 3Bee platform, involving 5 influencers to promote sustainable practices. The partnership raises awareness about bees' importance in the food chain and supports bee population conservation efforts.
• ImpastiamominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with Impastiamo for sustainable cooking education. Sponsored 5 free cooking classes across 5 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Holland, USA) featuring chefs committed to sustainable, low environmental impact cuisine. Classes included coffee kits from Caffè Vergnano with proceeds donated to bee conservation organizations (Save the Bees and Farmers EU, Bee Conservancy USA). Raised over $2000 for bee protection.
• Eataly USminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2018Marketing partnership for Earth Day 2018 activations at Eataly locations in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. Featured branded green bikes for consumer engagement, green questionnaires, discount coupon giveaways, and Italian recipe book distribution. Part of the #bevicompostabilmente sustainability campaign.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group: Italian-rooted global coffee company (owns brands including Segafredo Zanetti, Boncafé) with capsule, HoReCa, and large-scale roasting capabilities. Comparable multi-channel and international distribution at much greater scale.
• Lavazza: Italian family-owned coffee roaster founded 1895, operating in the same espresso/coffee manufacturing space with capsule (A Modo Mio), beans, ground coffee, HoReCa channel, and franchise presence. Directly comparable heritage Italian peer and the dominant domestic competitor to Vergnano.
• Kimbo: Naples-based Italian coffee roaster competing in retail beans, capsules, and HoReCa channels domestically and internationally. Direct peer for mid-tier Italian espresso positioning and supermarket shelf competition.
• illycaffè: Italian premium coffee roaster founded 1933 with comparable heritage, global retail distribution, HoReCa professional channel, and capsule (iperEspresso) system. Closely comparable brand positioning and target customer (premium Italian espresso consumers).
• Bialetti Industrie: Italian coffee equipment maker iconic for Moka pots, now extending into capsule systems (Bialetti capsules and machines). Directly comparable as an Italian heritage brand monetizing both coffee and the hardware/accessory ecosystem.
• Costadoro: Historic Italian coffee roaster from Turin (also Piedmont-based) with similar product range (beans, ground, capsules for multiple systems) and HoReCa/supermarket distribution. Closest geographic peer to Vergnano with directly comparable product and channel mix.

Broad incumbents

• De'Longhi: Italian home and professional coffee machine manufacturer with Nespresso system-aligned machines (and now own-capsule initiatives). Comparable in the hardware ecosystem that Vergnano's TRÈ machines and accessories occupy.
• Nestlé Nespresso: Owner of the Nespresso capsule IP system that Vergnano's compostable capsules plug into. Massive global retail footprint, machine business, and brand spend — a Broad Incumbent whose licensing-tolerant (so far) posture is a structural dependency for Vergnano's capsule growth.
• Starbucks: Global coffee chain incumbent with franchise/licensed store model (Siren Retail). Comparable as a benchmark for Coffee Shop 1882 franchise unit economics and as the dominant international branded coffee shop competitor Vergnano must position against.

Emerging players

• La Marzocco: Italian specialty espresso machine maker serving the premium HoReCa and home enthusiast segment. Comparable as a high-end Italian coffee equipment brand with shared Accademia/advertising approach and similar quality positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vergnanovenezia
• Facebookfacebook.com/caffevergnano

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caffe Vergnano