The Story
Gardelli Specialty Coffees was founded in 2010 by Rubens Gardelli in Forlì, Italy, beginning with a simple 50g roaster as he started his journey of self-taught expertise.
The turning point in Gardelli’s philosophy came in 2008 after a trip to California, where he first witnessed roasting happening inside a cafe, leading him to experiment with roasting on a home stove using a simple copper tool upon his return to Italy.
Rubens literally grew up behind the bar in his family’s coffee business, which began in 1982, absorbing the traditions of Italian hospitality.
Gardelli’s competitive spirit drove rapid success: he won the WCE Italy Coffee Roasting Championship in 2014, participated multiple times and won the global final in 2017, also claiming the Italian Brewers Cup twice and finishing second in the global final in 2014.
By 2018, following his World Championship victory, the company moved into a new 150 m² space with seven-meter-high ceilings on the outskirts of Forlì, installing a pink 15 kg Genio drum roaster.
In late 2020, Gardelli opened his flagship cafe Caffeteca in the heart of Forlì, creating his dream specialty coffee space almost two decades after beginning his coffee journey in his mother’s traditional family cafe.
Sourcing & Relationships
The Mzungu Project in Uganda exemplifies Gardelli’s sourcing philosophy, which began as a means to secure competition-level coffee but evolved into a comprehensive direct trade relationship when Gardelli realized small purchases wouldn’t meaningfully help farmers.
For the Mzungu Project, Gardelli paid about 50% more than traditional coffee trade prices in Uganda, with only one request: quality.
The project involved building a centralized processing and milling station in the same location to maintain complete traceability, knowing which farm every coffee came from.
Gardelli introduced innovative processing techniques to Uganda, becoming the first to use natural processing methods instead of the widely-used wet method, achieving what he described as “mind blowing” results after extensive experimentation.
The championship victory significantly enhanced GSC’s buying power, allowing them to pay for full crops or entire harvests upfront, supporting farmers while gaining access to larger amounts of high-quality coffees.
Gardelli carefully selects coffee beans in batches that meet strict quality requirements, emphasizing complete transparency of data including country of origin, region, cupping score, processing method, variety, roasting date, and producer name.
Roasting Philosophy
Every coffee lot has its own history and specific growing conditions, reacting uniquely to each roast profile, which is why Gardelli conducts extensive cupping sessions before deciding the optimal roast solution for each single lot to express its terroir.
The roasting style is influenced solely by the coffee itself rather than the final brewing method, with no separate filter and espresso roasts – almost all coffees are roasted omni, suitable for both espresso and filter.
“Acidity is not a crime” serves as the roastery’s motto, clearly signaling their commitment to preserving the natural brightness and character of specialty coffee.
The final roast profile is preceded by extensive profile testing and multiple cupping sessions, with each coffee retaining flavors and aromas specific to its growing area, which they aim to express rather than conforming to a roast profile to match the final brew.
Each coffee is selected through blind cupping and roasted to express clarity, sweetness, and origin character.
Gardelli learned everything about roasting through self-study without formal SCA courses, building his own roasters and personally overseeing the quality of coffee in each package despite the growing business.
What to Try
The flagship Mzungu Project from Uganda features elderflower, sweet pineapple, raspberry, red apple, and milk chocolate notes, with SL28 variety grown at 1900m and processed using a patented natural method unique in Uganda.
This coffee gained recognition when first introduced during Rubens’ 2017 Italy Brewers Cup appearance and was subsequently used in the World Brewers Cup, with new fermentation processes making the award-winning cup even richer and more intense.
The signature espresso blend Cignobianco, “the White Swan,” represents their specialty coffee approach alongside a large selection of freshly roasted single origins including high-quality premium rarities.
The Ethiopia Worka Wuri from Yirgacheffe offers hints of green tea, peach, orange, and verbena in a medium roast perfect for both espresso and pour-over methods.
Kenya Kakindu features red currant, tomato, orange, and grapefruit notes from SL28 variety grown at 800-2000m altitude.
The Mexico Vayichil Decaf showcases milk chocolate, almonds, caramel, and baked pineapple through Mountain Water Method processing.
The range includes high-scoring single-origin coffees, rare micro-lots, and signature blends for both espresso and filter brewing, roasted multiple times per week and shipped the same day for maximum freshness.