After the end of the Second World War, the desire for rebirth took center stage in Milan. The historic venues in the city began to repopulate, new businesses were born and new needs emerged. In the atmosphere of trust and enthusiasm that characterized the years just before the economic boom and the dreamy 1960s, the most beloved ritual among Italians began to spread: the act of enjoying coffee. And it is here that our story begins.
Giulio Ottolina, a passionate coffee connoisseur with a desire to secure a future for his children, opened a small coffee roastery on Via Piero della Francesca in Milan. With the help of his brother Gianni and brother-in-law Ezio, he began serving passing customers and supplying various bars and restaurants in the city.
With the initial savings from the mechanical workshop he used to run, Giulio Ottolina opened his first roastery in Via Gallina. It was the decade between the 1950s and 1960s when Ottolina coffee began to gain recognition throughout Milan, and the family business saw the involvement of Giulio Ottolina’s children, Remo and Sonia.
Milano, an increasingly vibrant metropolis, began to change shape and grow. In the 1970s, espresso coffee was in high demand in bars and quickly became the undisputed symbol of shared pleasure. Ottolina’s quality blends started to stand out thanks to meticulous bean selection and the search for the finest beans directly from plantations in producing countries such as Brazil, India, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.
In the 1980s, Ottolina supplied a prestigious gastronomy establishment in Milan, which had been present since the late 1800s, with specially crafted blends.
The first franchised restaurant chains began to spread, changing the way coffee was consumed in Milan. Meanwhile, Ottolina quickly became a prominent presence in the Lombardy region. Its blends, now intended for a broad and discerning audience, were increasingly sought after by bars and cafes. And not just that…
Ottolina is no longer just an excellent name known to bar and restaurant owners; it soon becomes a dedicated establishment to showcase the new trends embraced by the company in the new millennium. The first Ottolina Café locations open in Milan, destined to become a concept that can be exported throughout Italy.
In the 1990s, Ottolina became a supplier for a significant international restaurant chain. For the company, Ottolina developed a special Rainforest Alliance certified blend that contributed to the success of coffee sales in the chain’s outlets, emphasizing the concept of enjoying a good Italian espresso even in fast-food restaurants.
Today, with the experience gained over more than 70 years of operation, Ottolina is capable of meeting the needs of over 800 public services in Lombardy and countless establishments around the world.
In our future, the commitment to high-quality coffee roasting will continue, blending tradition and innovation, nurturing new ideas, and pursuing ambitious projects. Our goal is to bring the excellence of our premium blends to homes and establishments that have not yet experienced them, both in Italy and abroad.
Via Decemviri 20/24 – 20137 – Milano – Italy | (+39) 02 730032 – info@ottolina.it
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