A caffè conquers the world
A caffè conquers the world
In 1933 Francesco Illy founded a coffee roasting establishment in the northern Italian port of Trieste. This small company has become an international brand: People all over the world enjoy illy espresso - six million cups per day.
Francesco Illy, who was born in 1892 in the Austrian-Hungarian Temeswar, had only one desire: he wanted to produce the world's best coffee. His grandchild Andrea Illy, now manages the family-owned company as third generation Chief Executive and Chairman, calls it the "concept of total quality". His grandfather Francesco developed a patented process, among others, for preserving ground coffee in metal tins in a manner that preserves all its aromas and ingredients.
Perfection through innovation - that's how the success story of illycaffè can be described - and this is how the Italian company resembles Miele, the manufacturer of household appliances from Gütersloh: both have been family-owned for generations, are globally active and pioneers in their industry.
Francesco's son Ernesto (1925–2008) was a chemist by trade. He placed a high value on research and technology and established the company's first laboratory. The founder's grandson, Andrea Illy, studied chemistry as well. Meanwhile, 17 patents for diverse fields of coffee processing and preparation have been awarded to the family. Today, illycaffè stands for an Italian attitude towards life, for delicious espresso, indulgence - and balanced design.
The espresso cup made from white porcelain, designed in 1992 by architect and designer Matteo Thun, has become more than a style icon. In addition, it provides an artistic basis for the works of more than 70 renowned artists. Among them are Michelangelo Pistoletto, Marina Abramović, Sandro Chia, Julian Schnabel, Robert Rauschenberg, Jeff Koons, Joseph Kosuth and James Rosenquist.
Based on the huge success of the artistic cups the campaign was expanded in 2006 to include the 250 gram coffee tin. A number of prominent representatives of the contemporary artistic scene designed the cylindrical tin. Among them again were James Rosenquist and Michelangelo Pistoletto, also Michael Lin, Tobias Rehberger, as well as the famous photography artist Sebastião Salgado.
While Chairman of the Board Andrea Illy is primarily concerned with the topic of sustainability, the 4th generation of the company is already standing by, among them three of Andrea's daughters. One of them has already joined illycaffè.
Text: Rainer Meier
Rainer Meier illycaffè illy Espresso whole bean consists of 100% choice Arabica beans. The red roast is characterised by a balanced taste that is enhanced by nuances of caramel, chocolate, roasted bread and a slightly flowery note. The ideal settings for illycaffè with regard to fineness of grinding, amount of water and beans, temperature, as well as pre-brewing can be adjusted on all Miele coffee makers and guarantee maximum coffee enjoyment.
