Caffè Vergnano has opened its first dedicated café in Ireland, choosing Limerick as the launch point for the Italian brand’s latest international move. The site, on Catherine Street, is owned and run by local entrepreneur Shane Gleeson and is intended to bring a more premium, espresso-led café offer to the city centre.

Founded in 1882, Caffè Vergnano is among Italy’s oldest family-owned coffee businesses and is now led by fourth-generation family member Carolina Vergnano. The company has built its reputation on sourced and roasted coffee, with a long-standing emphasis on quality and sustainability, and its new Irish opening extends that heritage into a market where it has been growing with the support of Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Limerick café has been positioned as a welcoming stop for commuters, shoppers and visitors, serving espresso drinks, house blends and a curated food menu in a contemporary setting. Ms Vergnano said the opening was an important step in increasing the brand’s presence on the island of Ireland and praised Mr Gleeson and his team for sharing the company’s values of quality, passion and craftsmanship.

For Mr Gleeson, the project carries a personal dimension as well as a commercial one. He said the building was where his father first began his business journey, making the café’s opening feel like a “full-circle moment”. According to Italian food industry publication Italian Food News, the Limerick launch also fits into a broader expansion plan for Caffè Vergnano, which aims to open 10 new locations in Italy and overseas by the end of 2026.

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