Caffè Ernani

What Caffè Ernani does

Caffè Ernani is a privately held Italian specialty coffee roastery founded in 1909 in Milan, operating today as Ernani Srl under family ownership since 2002. The company's core product is roasted coffee differentiated by a medium-roast methodology, with origin-specific roasting curves applied to defect-free green beans to preserve aromatic complexity that the company argues is destroyed by the conventional Italian dark-roast approach. The portfolio comprises six signature blends (Allegro, Blue Diamond, Armonia, Vivace, Stretto, Adagio Decaf) and a growing set of ten-plus single-origin coffees (Brazil Baile, Ethiopia Zema, Kenya Safi, Colombia Cumbia, Honduras Paranda, India Samay, Indonesia Dalam, plus IWCA-affiliated 'Caffè delle Donne' Femea), distributed in nine formats including whole bean, ground, compatible capsules, and paper pods.

The business operates three commercial layers. Direct-to-consumer sales run through the company's own e-commerce storefront (shop.caffeernani.com), shipping to 34+ countries with a customizable subscription model and the Milan flagship roastery at Corso Buenos Aires serving walk-in retail. The B2B Ho.Re.Ca. division supplies hotels, restaurants, bars, pastry shops, catering, tobacco shops, and offices with a full-stack service including equipment installation, 24/7 technical support, barista training, and custom packaging to a base of 200+ clients. A third layer is the Ernani Academy, a professional coffee training program offering seven courses (Green Coffee, Roasting, Barista, Brewing, Espresso Tasting, Single Origin to Blend, Bar Management) at a 400 sqm Desio facility. Revenue streams include transactional product sales, recurring subscription revenue, B2B distribution and service fees, professional training (€50–€110 per course participant), branded merchandise, and private-label/Conto Terzi contract manufacturing enabled by internal label printing. The 2026 rebranding initiative, expanded single-origin portfolio, and new private-label service indicate an active product and channel expansion phase on a mature operational base.

Name

Caffè Ernani

Legal name

Ernani Srl

Website

https://caffeernani.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caffè Ernani is a historic Italian specialty coffee roastery founded in 1909, producing medium-roast blends and single-origin coffees for B2B hospitality clients (Ho.Re.Ca.) and B2C consumers through e-commerce and its Milan flagship store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRADAHAG

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean)

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks, Water)

SECONDARYAFAFADAJ

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYTHAFADAE

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes)

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Cafes & Coffee Shops

SECONDARYCRAHAGAI

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single origin coffee
• Medium roast coffee
• Ho.Re.Ca. coffee supply
• Coffee subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Desio

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Direct sales of roasted coffee products including whole beans, ground coffee, and compatible capsules through e-commerce and physical store. Multiple blend and single-origin options available in 250g and 1kg formats.
2. Coffee Subscription: Recurring subscription model delivering coffee at regular intervals (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly options). Customers can customize coffee type, weight, and delivery frequency. Offers up to 10% savings on regular purchases.
3. Ho.Re.Ca. Distribution: B2B distribution of coffee products and complementary beverages to hotels, restaurants, bars, pastry shops, catering, and offices. Includes equipment installation, technical support, and professional training services.
4. Academy Training Courses: Professional coffee training courses covering green coffee, roasting, barista skills, brewing methods, and business management. Prices range from €50-110 per person with Saturday premiums.
5. Merchandise & Private Label: Sale of branded merchandise (cups, sugar packets, aprons) and third-party private label services where Ernani produces custom-labeled coffee products for distributors and retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caffè Ernani roasts and sells specialty coffee in 13 varieties (6 signature blends and 7+ single-origins) across 9 formats including whole bean, ground, compatible capsules, and paper pods. The company distributes through its own e-commerce shop, a historic Milan retail roastery, a Ho.Re.Ca. B2B field sales network serving hotels, restaurants, cafés and offices, the Ernani Academy training center, and a customizable coffee subscription service.

Product overview

Caffè Ernani is a specialty Italian coffee roastery founded in 1909 in Milan, operating a unified product portfolio centered on premium medium-roast coffee. The core offering consists of 6 signature blends (Allegro, Blue Diamond, Armonia, Vivace, Stretto, Adagio) and 10+ single-origin coffees (Baile, Zema, Safi, Cumbia, Paranda, Femea, Samay, Dalam, plus Sidamo, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia). Products are available in 9 formats including whole bean, ground, compatible capsules, and paper pods. The portfolio extends through a B2B professional service (Ho.Re.Ca.) for hospitality businesses, the Ernani Academy offering 7 professional coffee courses, subscription delivery options, and interactive tools like the 'Your Perfect Blend' quiz. The company produces approximately 6.5 million clients annually across retail, e-commerce, and wholesale channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6.5 million customers served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pallacanestro Aurora DesiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship partnership with local basketball team. Represents the union of physical wellness and coffee enjoyment. Part of Caffè Ernani's community engagement initiatives.
• Birrificio Rurale e Beerslinger89minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative creation of Coffee Porter, the first beer made with Caffè Ernani coffee. Represents an innovative crossover between coffee and craft beer worlds.
• International Women Coffee Alliance (IWCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting women coffee producers worldwide through the 'Caffè delle Donne' (Women's Coffee) product line. Supports female empowerment and sustainable coffee production.
• Another Coffee StoriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublishing collaboration offering books about coffee paired with Caffè Ernani coffee products. Merges coffee culture with literary content.
• Buoono FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular economy partnership where Buoono Farm collects coffee grounds and silver film from roasting to grow edible mushrooms. Demonstrates commitment to sustainability and waste reduction.
• StoPuzzleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative relaxation product partnership combining puzzle entertainment with coffee consumption moments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lavazza: Italy's largest coffee roaster, founded 1895 in Turin, with full-spectrum offerings across retail, foodservice, and Ho.Re.Ca. globally. Directly comparable to Caffè Ernani in category (Italian coffee roasting/CPG) but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• illy: Premium Italian espresso brand founded 1933 in Trieste, listed on Borsa Italiana. Overlaps with Caffè Ernani on premium espresso positioning, single-origin emphasis, and Ho.Re.Ca. channel, but at much larger scale and global brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Segafredo Zanetti: Italian coffee roaster with a strong Ho.Re.Ca. distribution model globally, headquartered near Bologna. Closely comparable to Caffè Ernani as an Italian-origin roaster serving both retail and Ho.Re.Ca. with blended and single-origin products.
• Kimbo: Naples-based Italian coffee roaster competing in retail and foodservice with traditional Italian espresso blends. Comparable to Caffè Ernani in product format (beans, ground, capsules), B2B foodservice focus, and Italian heritage positioning.
• Pellini Caffè: Verona-based Italian coffee company with both retail and Ho.Re.Ca. distribution, offering blends and single origins in multiple formats. Comparable to Caffè Ernani in product portfolio breadth, channel mix, and Italian mid-market positioning.
• Costadoro: Turin-based Italian specialty coffee roaster with a historic identity and emphasis on espresso quality. Directly comparable to Caffè Ernani as a smaller Italian specialty roaster competing on premium espresso blends.
• Diemme Caffè: Padova-based Italian specialty coffee roaster serving Ho.Re.Ca. and retail with blends and single origins. Comparable to Caffè Ernani in mid-sized Italian specialty roaster positioning, Ho.Re.Ca. B2B emphasis, and product format breadth.
• Gardelli Specialty Coffees: Italian specialty micro-roaster founded by Rubens Gardelli, focused on single-origin and competition-grade coffees. Closely comparable to Caffè Ernani on medium-roast/specialty positioning, single-origin emphasis, and artisan scale.
• Ditta Artigianale: Italian specialty coffee company combining roasting with cafe operations. Comparable to Caffè Ernani in combining specialty roasting, B2C retail, and Ho.Re.Ca. with a single-origin-forward portfolio.

Others

• Bialetti: Italian coffee equipment and capsule brand (Moka Express heritage, Bialetti capsule system). Adjacent rather than directly competitive—comparable to Caffè Ernani on Italian heritage and capsule-format exposure but primarily an equipment/consumer brand play.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@caffeernani?lang=it-IT
• Xx.com/CaffeErnani
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaffeErnani
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caffe-ernani

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Caffè Ernani