The business roots of the Molinari family go back to the beginning of 19th century, when in 1804 the firm of "Giuseppe Molinari", active in the food sector, was founded. The company developed successfully and changed its name to "Ditta Fratelli Molinari" becoming suppliers to the House of Savoy in 1880.
Molinari balsamic vinegar acquired prestige by winning numerous international prizes.
But the family wanted to put down its roots in the area and become a reference and meeting point for the inhabitants of the city.
Just as the old coffee houses, set up in Italy during the 19th century, such as the "Pedrocchi of Padua, the "Florian" of Venice and the "Caffè Greco" in Rome, became famous as meeting places for intellectuals and artists of the era as well as for political and patriotic ferment, also in Modena, a lively city in the Po Valley, the family set up the Bar Molinari in the Via Emilia in the heart of the city in 1911. It is interesting to note that Bar Molinari became known and passed into history with the more modern title of "bar", abandoning the old 18th century title of "Cafè".
The success of the bar encouraged the family to set up a coffee roasting activity.
The nucleus of the original company was the founder, Giuseppe and his sons, Alberto and Emilio who started up in 1944 buying plant and machinery for coffee. The company was situated in the historic centre of town in Via Rismondo 38.
In 1955, production increased and the company transferred to Via Modonella, still in the centre of town, where Alberto and Emilio ran the business.
The company grew and transferred to the present offices in Via Fanti 206, near the railway, a little outside the centre where the coffee smells annoyed the local citizens. In the new offices with its greater space it was possible to meet the ever-greater needs of a modern company: there are ample warehouses, laboratories and offices. During this phase of development, the company changed its structure. With the name "Caffè Molinari SpA" the far-seeing project of investing in research and new technology of packaging was initiated, looking for excellence in quality.
New horizons were opened enabling Caffè Molinari to be appreciated in Italy and abroad, in all the continents of the world.