We are so excited to announce the official launch of our specialty coffee line this Friday, 25 June. Chicchi by Marigold is a project that very close to our hearts that brings the philosophy of our kitchen to our coffee, based on sustainability and traceability, quality coffee beans, and stories about the real people who make our food. 

To select our five debut coffees, we tasted more than 80 coffees from all over the world. As we narrowed our selections, we tasted our favorites over and over again, slightly adjusting the roasting recipe to find the perfect Marigold flavor profile. It's a complex process that we did in collaboration with our coffee experts and roaster.   

Our debut specialty coffee line features premium coffees sourced from small, organic farms and reputable traders in Papua New Guinea, Peru, Colombia, and Rwanda. 

You're Invited! Coffee & Breakfast *Pop-Ups*

Chicchi by Marigold officially launches this Friday, 25 June. Come try our coffees and enjoy Marigold breakfast pastries from 9-11 at 3 locations in Rome:

• Marigold (via giovanni da empoli 37)
• Dylan Tripp (via di monserrato 110)
• Fischio (piazzale degli eroi)

Our debut line of specialty coffees

 Each of our five debut specialty coffees is unique, with a story all its own. From inspiring businesswoman Epiphanie Mukashyaka of southern Rwanda to the collection of shareholder farmers of Papua New Guinea, our debut coffees set the tone of what to expect from Chicchi by Marigold: striking expressions of the people who make the beverage that wakes us up in the morning, accompanies our business meetings, or gives us a reason to meet up with family or friends.

Chicchi [ki: ki:] are 'coffee beans' in Italian. The name is a symbol of our pride to be based in Italy and represents our commitment to the raw ingredient that makes an exceptional cup of coffee.

Learn more about our coffees below:

Papua New Guinea

Our chicchi from Papua New Guinea were grown in the mountains of the Jikawa Province, on small shareholder farms inter-cropped with indigenous fruit and vegetable plants grown to feed the families of the farmers. The coffee is made up of Typica and Bourbon varietals, which are the most common grown on the island as these were the first coffee plants introduced during colonial times in the late 1800s.

Learn more about our coffee from Papua New Guinea >>>

Rwanda

Coffee production in Rwanda has changed dramatically in the last few decades following the horrible civil war and subsequent genocide gripped the country in the 90s. Inspiring entrepreneurs like Epiphanie Mukashyaka who survived have made it their mission to improve not only the country's coffee production but the livelihood of their local communities. 

Our chicchi from Rwanda were sourced from Epiphanie's Umurage Washing Station, one of her four washing stations in the Southern Province of Rwanda. Highly controlled with painstaking attention to detail ensures only the highest quality of beans receive her stamp of approval.

Learn more about our coffee from Rwanda >>>

Colombia

Coffees grown in the Nariño Department of Colombia are remarkably different from coffees grown in other parts of the country. The especially high altitudes, extremely dry harvesting seasons and low humidity dramatically affect the flavor of the coffees. Our chicchi were grown by Libardo Lasso on his farm, El Balso. He's stated that one of his greatest achievements ever is producing a coffee that scored 87. He strives to improve his crop season after season, so he can invest in his farm and build himself a bigger house.

Learn more about our coffee from Colombia >>>

Peru

High among the peaks of the Colasay District in northwestern Peru, farmers tend farms that on average are just 2 hectares. Growing 100% bourbon coffee, the cherries are selected and picked by hand and processed in micro-mills located on each farm. The cherries are also dried naturally on-site, sometimes even just on sheets outside the farmer's house.

Learn more about our coffee from Peru >>>

Marigold blend

Our Marigold blend, the only blend in our debut line, brings together chicchi from Peru, Rwanda, and a different selection of chicchi produced by Flor Penna, a smallholder farmer in Colombia. The aromatic blend features notes of bergamot and wild strawberry, cocoa and sweet marzipan and honey.

Learn more about our Marigold espresso blend >>>

Amici di Chicchi

Our Amici di Chicchi are a few selected artists, designers and creatives in Rome who share our values for quality, authenticity, and connection. Our Amici help us to spread the story and ethos of our coffee, one that centers around sourcing sustainable green coffee, carefully selected roasting profiles, and attentive preparation that results in an exceptional cup of coffee.

Dylan Tripp

A veteran of Roman fashion powerhouses Valentino and Fendi, Dylan's transition into floral artistry came after years of designing couture and curating multi-brand collections at his boutique in the center of Rome. Today, his floral studio located on via di Monserrato just steps from Piazza Farnese, is the peaceful epicenter for his creativity, overflowing with beautiful foliage and blooms in subdued hues.

Fischio

Næssi Studio 

Næssi Studio is a creative agency by Alessandro and Eleonora, designers on a mission to find connections between people, objects, spaces and the things that bring them together. Graphic, interiors and product design are just the manifestations of their holistic approach to tackling challenges through creative solutions. 

Ale and Ele are veritable fans and regulars of Marigold since the restaurant opened in 2018, and now we couldn't be more excited to consider them among our #AmiciDiChicchi.

Designing Chicchi

We used the most local form of inspiration we could think of to design the labels for our debut line of specialty coffees: our street.

Stepping out the front door of Marigold, via Giovanni da Empoli extends just a few hundred meters, lined with colorful residential and office buildings constructed at various times over the course of the last century or so. Directly opposite the restaurant, a soft pink office building contrasts the pale yellow façade of our building. Patches of untamed wildlife and an overgrown abandoned underground car park contribute greenery to the scene, while the vast blue sky sets a dramatic background. These were the colors we chose to make up this first color palette. 

Inspired by Roman geometries - cosmatesque floor patterns, ancient Roman mosaics, and architectural symmetries - we developed a seamless pattern that we applied in different colors to the labels. The resulting forms feel architectural, like looking out the windows of the dining room observing the street scene.

Inside the bags is one kind of Marigold world, produced by small farmers all over the world and roasted according to our own unique taste. On the outside, another kind of Marigold world. The one that hosts us, protects us, and greets us everyday.