A story that began with our noses buried in jute sacks
Throughout our journey, from 1895 to today, we have learned that quality is not something to be achieved, but a way of working. Let us tell you how a family tradition evolved into a new vision for plantation coffee.
The true story of our company began in 1895, when the Meschini family started roasting coffee.
Four generations later, one of its descendants, Enrico Meschini, felt the need to break away from established industry practices and follow his own path.
Once, coffee was simply coffee.
Then we came along and decided to shake things up. For too long, coffee existed between two extremes: the reassuring ritual of coffee at the bar and the highly technical – and sometimes rather distant – world of Specialty Coffee. We chose a third way: one rooted in the land, shaped by travel, and designed to make coffee more accessible, not more exclusive.
Our History
1895
The early days
The true story of our company began in 1895, when the Meschini family started roasting coffee. Four generations later, one of its descendants, Enrico Meschini, felt the need to break away from established industry practices and follow his own path.
1994
A Defining Choice
Le Piantagioni del Caffè was founded: a very small company at the time, created to focus exclusively on single-estate coffees. Meanwhile, Enrico Meschini began travelling to coffee-growing countries to meet green coffee producers and learn about their work first-hand.
1996
The importance of certification
Enrico channelled his experience into a collective project, co-founding CSC – Caffè Speciali Certificati (Certified Specialty Coffees) together with other coffee roasters. The goal was to elevate coffee as a conscious choice of taste, while advancing technical research and guaranteeing superior certified quality.
1998
Beyond national borders: SCAE
The vision expands. Enrico becomes involved in the creation of the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (now SCA), an international non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing together all coffee professionals who share a commitment to quality. This pioneering effort earned the company recognition as a Pioneer Member of the global specialty coffee movement – a distinction it continues to hold today.
1999
Joining forces
Enrico’s vision and the project behind Le Piantagioni del Caffè come together for good. Enrico first joins the company as a minority shareholder and later becomes its majority shareholder, officially marking the beginning of an entrepreneurial and personal journey.
2000
Working hand in hand with producers
Enrico introduces a new approach: travelling regularly to coffee-growing countries becomes standard practice. The purpose is not simply to purchase coffee, but to establish an ongoing exchange of knowledge with producers to continuously enhance the quality and consistency of the coffees we roast.
2011
A scientific approach
After completing her studies in Molecular Biology, Prunella Meschini joins the company. This marks a new phase of growth. Prunella brings the rigour of scientific research to the roasting process and quality control. Visits to the plantations become more frequent, and the dialogue with producers intensifies. The goal is simple: to express the unique character of every origin in the cup.
2012
New energy
Management consultant Iacopo Bargoni is won over by Prunella and Enrico’s vision. His passion for coffee transforms the course of his career. He decides to join the team, using his strategic expertise to help shape the company’s future growth. Prunella and Iacopo also get married—but that’s another story.
2015
Passing the baton
After three years of learning and travelling alongside Enrico, Prunella and Iacopo take over the company’s operational and strategic leadership. Their energy and innovative mindset transform the way the company works, combining experience with a modern, dynamic approach.
2018
Becoming a benchmark
The company’s new scientific and strategic approach fuels rapid growth both in Italy and abroad. Le Piantagioni del Caffè becomes one of the leading specialty coffee roasters, earning a reputation for consistently outstanding quality that’s within everyone’s reach.
2021
The “Wave of Accessibility”
Even after reaching significant milestones, Prunella and Iacopo challenged themselves to rethink everything. After 18 months of research and reflection, Le Piantagioni del Caffè underwent a complete rebrand. The goal was to break down the barriers between experts and coffee lovers through what they called the “Wave of Accessibility”: making exceptional coffee easier to understand and easier for everyone to enjoy.
TODAY, 2026 – EVOLUTION BECOMES AWARENESS
Awareness for Change
We want coffee to become a force for positive change: an everyday ritual that combines the pleasure of great taste with respect for people and the planet.
Because for coffee to be truly great, it has to be good for everyone. No exceptions.
And if this is our story and the vision that guides us, FLUID is where you can finally experience it in every cup.
Writing it on our coffee bags was never enough. We wanted you to see it. Touch it. Taste it. That is why we created FLUID: the place where our “Wave of Accessibility” becomes reality. A hub where quality coffee leaves unnecessary technical jargon behind and becomes an everyday experience: dynamic, approachable and, true to its name, fluid.
Discover FLUID
CERTIFICATIONS
Find out more about our coffee certifications!
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Certified Specialty Coffee (CSC) is an association founded in 1996 by a group of experienced, passionate roasters, with a shared vision to promote a culture of quality coffee, to be recognised as a conscious choice rather than a mere habit.
By applying strict procedures to the entire production chain, CSC guarantees and certifies the highest quality standards to be found on the international market.
ISO 22005 certification provides a further guarantee of food supply chain traceability.Oversight, from the estate to the cup!
The certification not only guarantees oversight of compliance with processing procedures by the various parties involved, from the producer to the roaster; it also extends to verifying the effective quality of the coffee through tasting.
Visit the website to find out more: caffèspeciali.it
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Organic farming practices encompass the entire farming system: making the most of the natural fertility of the soil, promoting the biodiversity of the specific environment, and avoiding the use of synthetic products and GMOs.
The term “organic farming” therefore refers to a growing method that prohibits the use of synthetic chemical substances (fertilisers, weedkillers and insecticides).
This translates into a production model that avoids excessive exploitation of natural resources, which are instead used as part of a sustainable development model. We are strong believers in the value of organic farming criteria.
One of the coffees of which we’re proudest is our CACE Alto Palomar, an organic coffee that we have worked directly with the producers to perfect in terms of quality.
For certification to be awarded, the producer and all other members of the organic supply chain – including Le Piantagioni del Caffè – are subject to checks by the inspection bodies, to ensure that the product meets the required standards. Only in the event of strict compliance with these procedures can a coffee bear the organic certification mark.
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Fairtrade is a global organisation that, via its certification mark, guarantees improved living and working conditions for producers and workers in developing countries.
The organisation works to develop quality products, which meet fair trade standards and come from monitored supply chains.
By bringing these products to the greatest number of people possible, awareness can be raised among consumers, companies and institutions of the impact of daily choices on production, purchasing and consumption.
For a coffee to be labelled Fairtrade, all members of the supply chain must meet the relevant standards.
Producers must therefore operate according to business development plans that involve sustainable farming practices, prohibit any form of discrimination among workers, include a ban on child labour, and make official hiring practices mandatory.
In the words of our Fairtrade friends, “We imagine a world where all producers can live and work in safe and sustainable conditions, can achieve their potential and decide on their future. Our ambition is to transform the global markets by promoting greater equity in international trade.”
Recognitions & membership
Discover the recognitions that reflect the quality of our coffees and our ongoing commitment as a company.
FORBES 100 COMPANIES OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2020
Forbes Italia recognises one hundred Italian companies of excellence each year, with the invaluable help of So Wine So Food.
Our promotion of estate coffee and our quality control processes are the reasons identified by Forbes Italia for including us among the Italian companies of excellence for 2020!
Pioneer Member di SCA (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe)
SCA, the Specialty Coffee Association, is the leading industry association promoting the culture of quality coffee.
Enrico Meschini was one of the founders of SCA, and today Le Piantagioni del Caffè is a Pioneer Member.