La Storia

People often ask me what the story is behind Caffè Dignità, and it's really not a simple one-line answer.

I've always wanted to own my own business. Over the years, that business looked like a lot of different things in my mind, but I kept coming back to the same ideas: community, Italy, and building something with a purpose. I wanted to create something that reflected the things I cared about, but for a long time I couldn't quite figure out what that looked like.

Years before Caffè Dignità, I volunteered as a victim advocate for a sexual assault hotline and eventually, the domestic violence hotline and shelter.

Dignity matters to me. I've seen what happens when people are stripped of it, and I know how much it means when someone helps restore it. Once you've witnessed that—or experienced it yourself—you can't help but see dignity differently.

I've always loved coffee, and I'm admittedly pretty particular about it. As I was making coffee one morning, I remember thinking, I could actually see myself in the coffee business. Not just selling coffee, but creating really good Italian-inspired coffee that people would genuinely enjoy.

I love Italian coffee culture, but it's more than that. I've always been drawn to the lifestyle, the way people don't rush, the beautiful architecture, the fashion...there's just something about it. When I dreamed about building my own business, I knew I wanted it to feel like that.

Then the name came to me.

Dignità.

The Italian word for dignity.

I remember thinking, That's it.

I knew I wanted to build an Italian-inspired brand with a purpose, and coffee felt like the right place to begin.

Today, Caffè Dignità has grown into coffee, tea, and thoughtfully curated goods inspired by different places throughout Italy.

I've also made it a priority to partner with other women-owned businesses, or brands who care as much about people as they do their products, whenever I can. Supporting others who are building something meaningful has become an important part of what Caffè Dignità is today. I also donate 100% of all profits to nonprofits working to restore dignity, because I believe dignity should never be a luxury.

— Julie
Founder, Caffè Dignità