Being a woman and a business leader: even today, you still have to prove you’ve got that extra edge

Few people realise that the history of the Chieri-based company includes a David-and-Goliath-style episode. It was the era of the boom in domestic espresso machines. Vergnano 1882 developed the first capsule compatible with a machine produced by a major foreign multinational. Naturally, the multinational would not tolerate anyone encroaching on its business territory. A legal battle ensued, ending in victory for Vergnano, which was able to prove the validity of its capsule patent. This marked the start of a renewed commitment to research and development, which has made the company one of the world’s leading manufacturers of coffee capsules.

During the three hours we spent together at the company, the word Carolina used most often was ‘family’. Her family of origin, whose surname she bears, and the family waiting for her at home every day. Two families that bring her joy, commitment and even a little worry, because ‘being a woman is a problem’. There’s always something you have to put aside. And you need loads and loads of energy for work and for your loved ones. How you come across in a business context still matters to some extent, compared to men. You always feel as though you’re being put to the test’.

However, family also means sharing some of the burden of responsibility. Carolina’s brother, Enrico, works for the company as chairman and is in charge of the group’s technology and digital operations; her cousin Pietro, the deputy chairman, is responsible for production and raw materials.

Talking to Carolina Vergnano isn’t an interview, but rather a free-flowing, no-frills chat ‘because that’s just how I am. I love expressing myself in the world of work; I love my job – perhaps because I’ve always had this sense of risk within me, of a blank page to fill with ideas and projects. Before joining the company, I had other opportunities: I spent time in Australia and France. Deep down, however, there was a little voice telling me: ‘You’ll come back!’. And that’s exactly what happened.’ The return was also written in the stars, at least according to her account of when, having just graduated from classical school, ‘I went to Australia for six months and, standing outside a café still bearing the old Vergnano 1882 sign, tears welled up in my eyes with emotion.’

Coca-Cola’s entry coincided with the appointment of Carolina Vergnano as the company’s chief executive, a decision once again made by the family. “I took on this role,” she explains, “aware of the great responsibility that had been entrusted to me. And every day I remind myself of four rules that I believe are important not only for how you run and manage a company, but also as rules for life: how you achieve results, how you act, how you present yourself and engage with others, and how you take on your responsibilities and see them through to the end.”

He adds: ‘When I look back, I see nearly five years that have passed perhaps too quickly or too intensely. They’ve been wonderful years – in fact, I’d go so far as to say they’ve been fun.’

‘All of this has been carried out with consistency, trust and respect for everyone who comes into the company to work every day, at every level and in every role. This company is not ‘Carolino-centric’. In fact, there are times when I don’t think I’m giving 100 per cent, and I say this not out of arrogance, but because it’s normal to constantly question the path you’re on.”

In 2018, at Carolina’s instigation, Women in Coffee was launched. It is an international social sustainability programme that promotes the empowerment, autonomy and development of women working at every level of the coffee supply chain, from plantations to café management. Part of the programme is run in collaboration with the International Women’s Coffee Alliance and takes concrete action on three main fronts, as the company explains: 1) support for plantations through fundraising to finance technical facilities in coffee-producing countries, where the workforce is predominantly female but often lacks protection. Projects completed to date include a roasting facility run by 21 women in the Dominican Republic and a library with a training academy in Honduras. 2) support for entrepreneurship in the hospitality sector through Caffè Vergnano, which actively supports the opening and management of women-led coffee shops, offering non-repayable grants and creating a network that already comprises around 80 outlets in Italia and 17 abroad. 3) Protection and empowerment of women through active collaboration with organisations committed to social causes, such as support for long-standing organisations like Telefono Rosa to combat gender-based violence and promote women’s empowerment.

This is complemented by the brand’s growing presence at major international events, such as the recent Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and the subsequent Paralympic Games, where Vergnano 1882 was the official coffee of the Five Rings.

A coffee bean lying on the table: what does Carolina Vergano see in it? After ten seconds’ thought, she replies confidently: ‘A wonderful adventure that began in 1882!’