Dini Caffè: A Family-Run Roastery in the Heart of Florence
As part of a class trip while studying abroad in Florence, we had the opportunity to visit Dini Caffè , a small but impressive coffee roastery tucked behind the city’s old stone walls. Before the visit, most of us had no idea how much care, tradition, and precision went into crafting a single cup of coffee. After meeting the owners, touring the space, and seeing the roasting process up close, we walked away with a whole new appreciation for the work behind every bean.
The History Behind the Beans
Dini Caffè was founded in 1939 by Alberto Dini , who turned his passion for coffee into a family business. After a major flood in 1966 destroyed the original location, the roastery moved to its current home on Via dei Bastioni in Florence.
Now in its third generation, Dini Caffè is proudly women-owned and run by sisters Serena and Benedetta Nobili. With backgrounds in design and engineering, they bring a mix of creativity and strategy to the business— Serena leads sourcing and quality control, while Benedetta oversees production and operations. Together, they blend modern expertise with the company’s long-standing traditions.
Small Team, Big Passion
We were surprised to learn that only seven people work at Dini Caffè. Everything — from sourcing beans and roasting them, to packing and managing sales — is done by this tight-knit team. Their small size allows for quality control and close collaboration.
Serena also shared that she personally knows the producers they work with in places like Brazil, Guatemala, and Ethiopia. This kind of direct relationship ensures ethical sourcing and helps maintain the high standards Dini Caffè is known for.
From Farm to Cup: The Dini Process
Step 1: Hand-Pick the Beans
Dini Caffè sources green coffee beans from various regions worldwide. The owners personally visit each coffee farm to ensure the beans are ripe and of the highest quality. Through rigorous handpicking, they guarantee consistency and excellence within each batch. Every batch is labeled within the facility with its country and region of origin, making it easy to track every bean from its source to the consumer’s brew.
Step 2: Precision Roasting
Each coffee variety is roasted separately, unlike many industrial rosters who roast all in a singular batch. The separation enhances the unique profiles of the coffee beans origin. The roasting machine holds up to 60kg per cycle, Dini downsized from 120kg to prioritize flavor over volume. They implement a carefully monitored roasting curve to track the temperature and time for each roast.
Step 3: Weigh & Transfer
Once the roasting is complete. The beans are weighed before being moved. One of the Dini sisters, Benedetta, engineered a custom vacuum transfer system to transfer beans from the bags to the roasting machine. This minimizes the manual handling of the beans, preserving the bean while being more efficient.
Step 4: Packaging & Sealing
FThe beans are then packed and sealed using purpose-built equipment. Then boxed and prepared for shipment to consumers or other companies. Dini’s packing is customized for every blend and clearly communicates the sourcing and roasting process. The dedication to transparency embodies their commitment to brand integrity.
Key Takeaways
Our experience with Dini Caffè revealed just how much goes into every step of their process. From sourcing beans directly from women-led farms to crafting custom tools, every decision reflects their commitment to quality and authenticity. Dini Caffè isn’t just producing coffee, they are preserving their legacy of elevating the standard for artisanal roasting in Florence and the rest of the world.
Conclusion
Overall, Dini Caffè blends tradition with innovation. This women-led and family-operated business shows that staying small isn’t a bad thing. Whether it’s their hand-picked beans, their custom vacuum system, or their transparency on their packing, every detail speaks to their care and craftsmanship. After seeing the full process, I’ll never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
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Written by: Kylie Michal & Jocelyn Ramirez