1870

Foundation

Domenico Barbera started up a small firm in Messina for coffee roasting, which meant roasting coffee at dawn, with a manual roasting machine heated over charcoal (this machine can still be seen in the company’s small museum). His passion for coffee and great working capacity earned him the nickname “Il Mago del caffè” - The Coffee Wizard, which was then to become the company slogan.

The early 1900s

The 2nd generation

In 1903, the company founder, Domenico Barbera died, and, in 1908, during the catastrophic earthquake of Messina, one of his two sons lost his life. Despite the difficult times, his son Antonio, with both courage and perseverance, rebuilt the company practically from scratch, turning it into a true industrial activity, producing coffee for Sicily and Calabria.

Between the two wars

The 3rd generation

During the post world war one period, the tenacity and skill of one man triumphed over the horrors of poverty. In a land with little hope, Antonio, together with his son Domenico, driven by an untiring passion, worked steadily until the production of coffee increased to the point where not even the threat of a second world war could stop their entrepreneurial rise.

1968

The 4th generation

Domenico oversaw new company buildings, which today are the main company offices. In 1970, his son Vittorio took over and with great entrepreneurial skill and sacrifice, transformed the family company into one of the leading coffee-roasting companies in Italy. The company was enlarged and equipped with a state-of-the-art Research and Quality Control laboratory and production facilities, thereby increasing production capacity, leading to exporting coffee overseas.
The company has become a source of pride for the city of Messina and its inhabitants.

2001

The 5th generation

Vittorio departed this world prematurely, leaving a vacuum in both social and business circles. Today, the company is led by Antonio and Francesco, who have overseen significant growth in the company, following in the entrepreneurial wake of their father. A constant commitment in defining the highest production standards, together with a heightened awareness of the importance of environmental policies have allowed the company to obtained the most important international voluntary certifications. Attention to client services and the hallmark of prestigious partnerships have seen the consolidation of the Barbera brand both in Italy and abroad.

2014

The 6th generation

The sixth generation: Vittorio, Federica and Alessandra, children of Antonio and Francesco, have all joined the company, working daily with enthusiasm and the desire to learn. With them they bring a wave of dynamism and novelty, all the experiences they have acquired when abroad, while never forgetting those principals of loyalty, dedication and professionalism that the Barbera family have handed down for 145 years.