PARTNERSHIP Italy - UK

LIFESTYLE | 17 www.italchamind.eu illycaffè, the art of making coffee The pioneer coffee company taking over the British market F ounded in Trieste in 1933, illycaffè is a family-run company that established itself as one of the major coffee companies in the world. Today it is led by Chairman Andrea Illy, third generation of the family, and Massimo Pogliano, CEO. The Illy family has always invested in research in order to guarantee a premium and innovative product. It was Francesco Illy, the founder of the company, who invented the first modern coffee machine, illetta. He also discovered a new way to package the coffee with a pressurisation system, in order to preserve long term its aromas and freshness. His son Ernesto, while patenting a photo-chromatic method to identify the best beans, started the expansion towards the home-business by selling single-serve paper pods. Ernesto and his wife Anna had four children, all of whom have been (or are) involved in the company, making illycaffè operational in 140 countries and promoting the culture of coffee around the world. Nowadays, they supply the best bars and restaurants around the world, providing customers not only with premium coffee, but with a sensorial experience. INVESTING IN THE UK In August 2019, despite the uncertainties related to Brexit, illycaffè proceeded with the acquisition of the illy division of Euro Food Brands, the company distributing their products in the UK. The news hit the major newspapers, especially because of the timing: with so many companies leaving the UK in the past year, one Italian company made a significant step. The acquisition of the division included the activities and also 70 staff, who now will form a new company in Brackmills, where operations where already based. With the development of the brand new company, there will be more personnel hired to manage the illy division. The United Kingdom is indeed a strategic market for illycaffè, where the company already has a strong presence and is looking to make its positioning even stronger. With this new company, it will be possible not only to manage the distribution, but to work on the brand and customer relations. COFFEE CULTURE The Università del Caffè was founded in 1999 by illycaffè and has now different locations worldwide, ensuring that the culture of quality coffee is spread around the world, through staff training in each coffee boutique. In the United Kingdom, for instance, illycaffè has two stores in London that combine the coffee experience with design and technology. If technology is the keystone of the company, design has always been complementary to the brand. In 1992, Francesco Illy conceived the Art Collection, designer espresso cups that were created by the Italian designer Matteo Thun. Furthermore, illy has been a partner of the Venice Biennale since 2003, highlighting the importance of the world of art for the company. A bold company that focuses on technology and on premium experiences, investing abroad to become even more global. ·