In 1933, Francesco Illy founded illycaffè with the mission to serve the greatest coffee to the world. His innovative pressurized packaging method enabled illy’s initial exports to other countries. Today, Francesco Illy’s packaging method remains the standard for preserving and enhancing coffee’s freshness during transport and storage.
illy is renowned around the world and recognized for its high-quality coffee, a blend made of nine varieties of pure Arabica that delights millions of people every day in hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, offices, and homes. illy is distinguished by its three key pillars: sustainability, gastronomy, and beauty. Its dedication to innovation, sustainable practices, and connection to contemporary art are reflected in every aspect of the illy brand.
Under three generations of Illy family members, almost every aspect of coffee culture has been reimagined, from inventing the modern espresso machine and single-serve E.S.E. coffee pods, to creating packaging pressurization to maximize freshness, to the cutting-edge iperEspresso capsule system, to the patented Cold Brew Blade® System. Thanks to its innovations, illy contributes to significant technological advancement in the coffee sector.
Sustainability
Since 2017, through its “Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award,” illy celebrates the best sustainably grown coffees in the world and the best coffee producers. For 10 years in a row, since 2013, illy has been featured on the list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, and is committed to pursuing a sustainable business model and abiding by the highest environmental and social performance standards. In April 2021, the company received B-Corp Certification.
This year, illy launched a brand-new coffee using fully regenerative agriculture, called the Arabica Selection Brazil Cerrado Mineiro. Regenerative agriculture refers to a set of practices, customs, and knowledge to farm to meet human needs while trying to ensure the lowest environmental impact and regenerate soil fertility. Through this new coffee, illy hopes to demonstrate its continued commitment to the Earth. illy has achieved certification by Regenerai. Over the years, illy’s sustainable coffee procurement protocol has allowed the brand to monitor supply chains, guarantee product quality, and protect the environment and worker safety.
Gastronomy
illy is proud to partner with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, the ranking of the 50 best restaurants in the world that is now one of the most eagerly awaited gastronomic events by industry insiders and enthusiasts. illy serves as the exclusive coffee served at all events. Their long history of excellence in the world of coffee is a perfect match for the passion and dedication of the world’s best chefs.
Art and Beauty
The iconic illy Art Collection cup was introduced 31 years ago, spurring the convergence of illy and the contemporary art world, with a cup design created by Matteo Thun. Everything “made in illy” is enhanced by beauty and art, which represents founding values of the brand, starting from its logo – designed by iconic artist James Rosenquist – to the renowned illy Art Collection, designed by 125 international artists over the years. The illy Art Collection is a significant project linked to the illy brand identity and it now constitutes one of the world’s largest collections of contemporary art. Over the past three decades, illy has partnered with renowned artists, including Judy Chicago, Ai WeiWei, Jeff Koons, and more to design their iconic cups.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Biennale Arte, and illy is proud to announce that it will unveil a new illy Art Collection during this year’s festival in Venice, featuring works by emerging Latin American artists handpicked by the curator of Biennale Arte 2024, Adriano Pedrosa. The artists featured in the new collection include Paula Nicho Cumez of Guatemala, Mahku of Brazil, Rember Yahuarcani of Peru, and Aycoobo of Colombia. The iconic illy cups have once again been transformed into blank canvases, allowing the artists to showcase their creativity and reinforcing the fusion of beauty and excellence that characterizes the illy brand. Also in November 2024, illy will be hosting the Ernesto illy International Coffee Awards in NYC for the second year in a row.
: @MAGRINOPR