illy presents its study about coffee honey

Trieste, June 4TH 2014– illycaffè presented the results of an important study about monofloral coffee honey in the agricultural and food industry at the 12th “Conference on the Applications of Magnetic Resonance in Food Science” in Cesena, Italy.

AromaLab, one of the in-house analysis and research laboratories at illycaffè, worked with the Chemical Science Department from the University of Padova to analyse monofloral coffee honey for the first time; the honey is a rare and still relatively little-known monofloral variety from the Tolima region in Colombia.

This work enabled the researchers to characterise the sample of monofloral coffee honey and identify the markers, which convey the level of authenticity of this special monofloral variety. The honey is made by bees that frequent almost exclusively coffee flowers, and contains small quantities of caffeine and other substances that are not found in any quantity in ordinary types of honey.

The study stems from a pilot project spearheaded by the Ernesto Illy Foundation – an organisation that has always involved itself in scientific research by setting up and supporting important programmes in partnership with universities, institutions and centres of excellence – and the Colombian coffee producers that aims to promote beekeeping as an additional means of support to coffee growing and production in poorer communities so that they can improve plantation management and also benefit from a secondary and sustainable economy.

It seems that bees actually help to increase the production of quality coffee, and also offer the opportunity to produce a truly exceptional honey and other related products. At the moment this activity is practically nonexistent but if developed, it could help the people to create an additional source of income as well as an environmentally-friendly economic model which could be applied in all coffee-growing areas.


Based in Trieste, Italy, illycaffè produces and markets a unique blend of espresso coffee and is the leading quality coffee brand. Over 6 million cups of illy espresso coffee are enjoyed every day. illy is sold in over 140 countries around the world and is available in more than 100,000 of the best restaurants and coffee bars. espressamente illy, the chain of franchised Italian-style coffee bars, is now present in more than 30 countries and comprises 230 outlets. With the aim of spreading the coffee culture, illy has founded the Università del Caffè, the centre of excellence offering theoretical and practical training on every aspect of coffee for coffee growers, coffee shop staff and enthusiasts. As the official partner of Expo Milano 2015 illycaffè is responsible for creating and managing all coffee-related content, exhibitions and events in the Coffee Cluster’s communal area. On a global level illycaffè employs about 1,050 people and produced a consolidated turnover of €374 million in 2013.

illy buys green coffee directly from the growers of the highest quality Arabica through partnerships based on the mutual creation of value. The Trieste-based company fosters long-term collaborations with the world’s best coffee growers – in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa – providing know-how and technology and offering above-market prices.


For more information, please contact:
www.illy.com
illycaffè – Anna Adriani/Christine Pascolo,Tel. 040/389.0111 – Fax 040/389.0490
illy Press Office – Connexia
Valentina Calaminici: valentina.calaminici@connexia.com
Nadia Taddei: nadia.taddei@connexia.com
Ilaria Montalti: ilaria.montalti@connexia.com