Torani, inventor of flavored latte syrups, celebrates 100 years of business in Bay Area

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- Torani, the Bay Area-based creator of the flavored latte is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Tuesday, which also marks National Latte Day.

While it's been no easy feat for the company, the CEO says they're not done growing yet.

Tucked into the heart of the East Bay, is the secret behind most flavored coffees.

"And now we've got you name it flavor, fantasy flavors, all kinds of flavors, over 150 and you can mix them in combination," Torani CEO Melanie Dulbecco said.

Torani was born in San Francisco's North Beach as a mom-and-pop shop, with just five flavors.

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It was known for popularizing Italian soda in the U.S. back in the 1920s, before creating the world's first flavored latte in the 80s.

"Oh my gosh even my father, I think they would be blown away," Lisa Lucheta, the Board Chair of Torani said.

Lisa Lucheta is the granddaughter of the Torani founders and now serves as chair of the company's board.

She's had a front row seat to Torani's exponential growth after outgrowing multiple spaces in San Francisco before finding its largest home so far in San Leandro about five years ago.

"The nature of business in the Bay Area over all these years has changed quite a bit but we're very happy to still be manufacturing locally and it was a very important thing to us as we moved and grew our company that we stayed as close as we could to the San Francisco Bay Area," Lucheta said.

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They now have about 400 employees, with their product being sold in more than 30 countries.

Dulbecco says they're on track to double in size by the year 2030.

"We think of ourselves as a very different kind of company, we consider ourselves being radically people first," Dulbecco said. "In our 100 year history, we've never had a layoff, we've made it through the great depression, the great recession, covid, business downturns, keeping everyone on board and together."

To commemorate 100 years, they've chosen to give back to the same community that's had their back over the years by putting out a "Flavor of the Century" Diamond Syrup.

"100% of the profits of this line go towards non-profits that are creating career exposure and job opportunities," Dulbecco said. "And our team loves it because we all want to see our area thrive."

Torani plans to expand to a second building right around the corner in San Leandro in the next few months, which will serve as a new distribution center.

If you would like to purchase the Diamond Syrup head to Torani's website.