The history of Caffè Borbone

A long tradition for a “Magical Emotion”

In Naples coffee is more than a daily ritual, it is culture, it is an ancient knowledge linked to our land. Our company’s objective is to continue the centuries-old tradition of true Neapolitan espresso, transforming it into a “Magical Emotion” for coffee lovers, people, and the environment.

The coffee ritual

Since its foundation, Caffè Borbone has taken care of every detail of its products, from the raw materials to the range of products on offer, right down to their image, in order to create a product that meets and satisfies what has been the company’s mission from the very beginning: to make the coffee ritual a pleasurable and relaxing moment.

Not a cup drunk in a hurry early in the morning or a minute before going back to work, but an all-round sensory experience in which to take shelter and pamper oneself to unwind either alone or with friends.

The beginnings

Caffè Borbone was founded in 1997 under the name “L’Aromatika Srl”, from an idea of its founder Massimo Renda.

On the strength of the experience gained in his family’s small coffee roasting company, where he worked for the first few years of his career, Massimo Renda sensed the business potential of automatic coffee vending machines and successfully devoted himself to it.

“L’Aromatika Srl” took its first steps in this field, first entrusting the production of the pods to an external company and starting with “door-to-door” sales of coffee pod machines for offices in the provinces of Naples and Caserta.

The purchase of the first pod-making machine marked a new beginning and although it was disproportionate to sales at the time, it became a strong incentive for the creation of an even stronger and more structured sales team. Soon after, the first coffee roasting machine arrived, purchased second-hand from a historic Neapolitan coffee roaster. The early years of our company say a lot about who we are, looking back at where we started from: today’s success is the result of every small success achieved back then, with commitment, dedication and humility.

A name that speaks of Naples, where coffee is history.

The link with the origins has always been fundamental for us. Naples is the city where the brand was born, a unique and lively place where espresso is history, passion, culture.

In 2000, the name “Caffè Borbone” was launched, thanks to the granting of a special authorisation to use the brand name by His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon in person.

Our name is in fact one that is inextricably linked to the coffee tradition already present in the Bourbon era, where Naples was the first city in Italy, the second in Europe and the fifth in the world due to its port from where the finest coffee blends from all over the world travelled.

It was in this period, at a time of great advancement and culture, that the iconic cult of coffee was born and, like everything else that meets the virtuosity and ingeniousness of these most creative of people, Naples soon “made it its own”. The Neapolitans didn’t limit themselves to refining coffee from a quality perspective but transformed it into a way of socialising, a custom and a symbol of the city, now recognised all over the world. The particular way of roasting the coffee beans, designed to exalt the aromas and give the coffee a stronger flavour, was actually perfected in the first Neapolitan “kaffehaus”, precursors to the modern bar which would quickly become genuine cultural centres. These establishments were soon all over the city and coffee quickly became a cult drink in Naples with on-the-ball commoners successfully “turning it into a business”. In fact, it wasn’t long before the shouts of mobile coffee vendors, selling coffee, milk and sugar, could be heard along the streets of Naples.

The first blends

The first Caffè Borbone blend was the Blu, inspired by the colour of the brand. Soon after came the Rossa blend, more intense and bold, followed by the Oro, more refined and prized, thereby satisfying the needs of every palate.

Since then, the “Borbone family” has expanded and the “historical blends” have been joined by new blends and many new products, to cater for consumers of all ages.

The future we imagine

Caffè Borbone has become part of the Italmobiliare group and is now one of the main producers specialising in coffee in compostable pods and compatible capsules, with a widespread sales network throughout Italy and constantly growing sales figures. How do we imagine the future? Sustainable, for people, for the environment and for the country. The value of sustainability is a priority and a clear strategic guideline at Caffè Borbone, that is an element of our Code of Ethics: outstanding coffee, produced with a sense of global responsibility and capable of promoting Italian social, cultural and artistic values. This is why our company supports activities related to environmental protection and educational projects especially targeted at young people. Caffè Borbone is also a promoter of culture and official supplier to the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Because for us at Caffè Borbone, coffee is more than just a product, it is a slice of culture that belongs to everyone, and that is how we want it to be: a pleasure to be shared, a small emotion that becomes magical, to be enjoyed when socialising and sharing.