As part of our course, Social Media, Social Food, our class visited Dini Caffè, a company that supplies coffee to cafés throughout the Florence area. The experience provided a valuable look into the behind-the-scenes work of a coffee supplier and allowed us to better understand the coffee industry.

The Story Behind Dini Caffè

Dini Caffè’s history is rooted in Florence, where it was founded in 1939. Now in its third generation, the company has overcome the challenge of being completely destroyed by a flood.

Originally started by the current owners’ grandfather, Dini Caffè’s legacy lives on through the women in the family.

After being managed by their mother and aunt, the business is currently led by sisters Benedetta and Serena, who spoke to us about their work.

As female entrepreneurs in a traditionally male-dominated industry, they are proudly breaking boundaries while continuing to uphold the company’s long-standing reputation for quality and tradition.

Behind the Beans: How Dini Caffè Makes Its Coffee
At Dini Caffè, coffee production is treated with the utmost meticulousness. We learned how much care and precision goes into every step of the process, starting with the beans themselves. Only the ripest coffee cherries are selected, and they must be hand-picked to ensure top quality. Just one bad bean can ruin an entire batch, so attention to detail is everything. Once harvested, the beans are roasted using what Benedetta and Serena proudly called the “Ferrari of roasting machines.” During roasting, the beans make a cracking sound similar to popcorn, signaling different stages of the roast. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all process: each coffee has its own unique time, temperature, and roasting curve, calibrated for the perfect result.

Something that really impressed me is how transparent and ethical Dini Caffè is about its sourcing. Their recipes aren’t secret; they’re proud of the ingredients they use and the history behind them. They know exactly which farms their beans come from, and even visit the producers in person. They choose partners based not only on quality, but also on ethical practices and sustainability, ensuring the people growing the coffee are treated well and that it is being grown in a good environment. 

After roasting, the beans are packaged with just as much care.

To protect the coffee from light and humidity, they are air-sealed using a machine.

Once packaged, the coffee is ready to be shipped off to cafés across Florence and beyond. 

What stood out most was how much pride Benedetta and Serena take in their work. From sourcing to roasting to shipping, every step is done with intention and integrity. It’s clear that Dini Caffè isn’t just selling coffee; they’re sharing a family legacy built on passion and love for the industry.

A Taste of Dini Caffè

After learning all about Dini Caffè’s history and production process, we had the chance to sample their coffee firsthand, tasting espressos, macchiatos, and cappuccinos made from their freshly roasted beans.

We got to step behind the machine and try our hand at making cappuccinos ourselves, and created latte art on top.

It was a fun, hands-on way to end the visit and connect everything we had learned.

The experience was not only informative, but also very enjoyable, and was made even better by the welcoming environment created by Benedetta and Serena.

By Janie Packman, Britt Trucksess & Angeline Ngo (Hoos in Florence)