In the lands of coffee

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(Image by Emiliano Mancuso and Grazia Neri)

Illycaffè’s singular blend – borne of the ideal balance of the world’s best Arabica beans – is simply the best nature can provide.

It starts with a rigorous process originating in Central and South America, Africa and India. Countries where the best Arabica beans of diverse origins and varieties are carefully selected by company agronomists and tasters, then skilfully merged into a harmonious blend, remarkable in its consistency.

The result is an exceptional beverage with unmistakeable flavor and quality that awakens the mind and senses, and energizes the body.  If you’ve never tasted coffee’s delicate floral notes, chances are, you haven’t tasted illy.

It all owes in large part to illycaffè’s long-time purchasing policy, centered around three core ideas:

Selecting the best producers

Illycaffè seeks out its premium raw material in lands ideally suited to premium coffee cultivation.  Here, through arduous research by the company’s own agronomists and tasters, are found the best local growers, with whom illycaffè establishes long-lasting, direct relationships.

In Brazil, a quest to find and incentivize the best local growers led illycaffè to establish its Quality Award, which has evolved into a full-fledged system now critical in instilling a culture of higher quality, in a country where coffee is of immense economic importance.

Sharing knowledge

Illycaffè imparts its culture and knowledge – developed over many years of research and hands-on experience – directly to its growers.  It trains them to produce quality coffee while respecting the environment. Knowledge is shared both ways, making for reciprocal exchanges benefiting everyone involved.

Rewarding quality

Illycaffè guarantees a profit to its growers in every transaction, viewed in part as compensation for committing to develop and consistently provide highest-quality product. This, in the company’s view, is the only way to make production truly sustainable.

Pricing is based on a formula that takes into account international market prices, to which illycaffè adds substantial margin to guarantee growers a profit.
 
Guaranteeing a profit creates economic benefits for more than farm owners. There is a positive impact on the entire community around the plantation in potential higher wages and longer-term employment, and in creating incentives to further develop productive land.