Lavazza move to take a gulp of the UK artisan coffee bean market

Under the tag 1895 – the year it was founded – The Italian firm has launched a range of beans and range of paraphernalia in a bid to take advantage of the growing taste for high end coffee in Britain.
As well sending out experts to source new, sustainable, varieties of coffee, the Lavazza family also refurbished a factory in Turin to dedicate it specifically to 1895 products.
And the flagship store in central London has been created to give coffee-lovers not only a quality drink but link it to experimental food experiences as well.

Lavazza is well established in Britain. It set up its UK arm in 1990 and has had a partnership with Wimbledon tennis for 40years.
Marco Lavazza said the firm sees the UK market as “very dynamic” and although instant coffee currently accounts for about two-thirds of it is “switching from primarily instant to premium.”

Talking about why Lavazza had created the 1895 brand, he said: “We wanted to express the craftmanship in coffee. Share our love. This is a different idea of what coffee is. This is a brand new experience that we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to have.”

“1895 is for somebody who is interested in coffee in general or for someone to pamper themselves.
We want to show new ways to experience the beans and make it the best experience possible everyday
“Of course we can do it as we want but we can share our experience to give you the best experience possible the best way to use coffee. We have to understand which is the best coffee for you. For us the quality is primary.”

“In Italy the younger generation is trying different things. We are following that.
“But we want to be confident with what we offer. 
“We are aware that home consumption is growing.
“There is a rediscovery of the bean and finding ways of brewing it at home.”

Lavazza’s UK general manager Pietro Mazza said they also wanted to create “experiences” for coffee lovers at the factory in Turin and the flashy new store just off Oxford Circus.
The refurbished Settimo Torinese plant is a working production site that also houses a visitor centre. Visitors to the site can see the whole coffee selection cycle and its processing from plantation to cup thanks to a walkway over the machinery.
Coffee tastings with a ‘coffellier’ – the coffee equivalent of a sommelier – are carried out there and in the London store. Both have specially designed locations for the tasting sessions.
In London the coffee is linked to a dining experience with a restaurant with a menu designed to show off Lavzza’s “unique approach to coffee” including having an espresso transformed into ‘coffee caviar’.
Pietro Lavazza said: “We did not just want to select the best beans in the world but we want it to be experiential. We want to link it to food great chef. There is already a big specialty market in the UK so we had something to work with.”