15/09/2026
Café Volio: More Than 85 Years of Costa Rican Coffee Tradition
If you want to understand Costa Rican coffee culture, Café Volio is one of those names worth knowing. Its story begins in 1938, when Federico Volio established the business in the heart of San José, near the Mercado Central. What started as a small coffee operation eventually became one of Costa Rica's best-known domestic coffee brands.
The early story is wonderfully Costa Rican. Café Volio began with a roaster, a grinder and a bicycle. The coffee was distributed to nearby businesses, restaurants and customers around downtown San José. As demand grew, the operation moved to a location on the north side of the Mercado Central—the site that remains closely associated with the company's origins today.
The business eventually passed into the hands of Roberto Sáenz, Federico Volio's son-in-law. Then, in 1972, Carlos Bombardelli purchased the company. Bombardelli shifted the business from primarily selling coffee over the counter toward distributing Café Volio through supermarkets and other commercial establishments. That change helped transform the small traditional coffee business into a much larger national operation.
In 1976, Café Volio moved its principal production operation to Curridabat, where the company expanded its roasting, grinding, packaging and distribution capabilities. The Curridabat facility remains central to the company's operations today. During the 1980s, Café Volio continued modernizing, bringing in newer roasting technology while maintaining its emphasis on Costa Rican coffee.
And here's what makes the Volio story particularly interesting: the company didn't simply chase modernity—it kept its connection to tradition. The original downtown location became known as the “Tienda del Fundador”, a living reminder of where the company began. The store has been renovated and modernized, but its purpose remains much the same: fresh coffee, freshly roasted and ground, right in the center of San José.
Café Volio specializes in 100% pure Costa Rican coffee, using beans from high-altitude coffee-growing regions. Its traditional product line includes ground and whole-bean coffees, as well as its Especial del Fundador and export varieties. The company says it selects, roasts and cups its coffee regularly to maintain consistency and quality.
Today, Café Volio has expanded beyond its original operation, including specialized stores and newer products such as coffee capsules. Yet the heart of the brand remains remarkably unchanged: Costa Rican coffee served to Costa Rican families.
There is something beautiful about that.
A business that started with one man, one roaster, one grinder and a bicycle has survived for more than eight decades. Generations of Costa Ricans have grown up with the aroma of Volio coffee filling their kitchens.
And that may be the real secret of Café Volio.
It didn't just sell coffee. It became part of the morning ritual of Costa Rica.
