illycaffè brings the ultimate espresso experience on board Costa’s ships

Coinciding with the inauguration of the new flagship Costa Diadema, an agreement is signed between two companies epitomizing Italian-made excellence whereby the inimitable illy espresso coffee will be served fleetwide.

Trieste – Genoa:  October 31, 2014 – illycaffè and Costa Cruises have signed an important agreement under the terms of which illy will be the espresso coffee of choice served on board all 16 ships in the Costa Cruises fleet.

In order to enhance and complete its top-of-the-range food&wine offerings, Costa Cruises – Europe’s number one cruise company which, for the past 66 years, has plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian hospitality, cuisine and entertainment – has teamed up with illy, a name synonymous with the excellence of the espresso in the country that is its spiritual home; illy will be the sole brand of espresso coffee on board.

The announcement coincides with the first port call in Trieste of the new flagship Costa Diadema (132,500 gross tonnage, over 300 meters in length and  1862 passenger cabins).  The latest addition to the Costa fleet, which was built by Fincantieri in Marghera with an investment worth 550 million euros,  will be christened in Genoa on November 7.  The Costa Diadema will be an ambassador for “Italy’s finest”, deployed on 7-day Mediterranean cruises featuring Italy’s peerless culinary excellence, and she will be the first Costa ship to offer all her guests the chance to enjoy illy coffee’s unique blend on the cruise.  This innovation – illy as the espresso of choice on board – will gradually be introduced on all the ships in the fleet.

Costa Cruises SVP Hotel Operations & Product Development Neil Palomba welcomed the agreement:  “The Costa Diadema will offer Guests Italy’s finest on every cruise.  One of the highlights will be the espresso coffee, a tradition for which we Italians are rightly famous all over the world.  This is why we’re delighted to have on board with us illy, which is a veritable Italian icon and a brand that – like Costa – prioritizes the values of hospitality, passion for excellence and total quality.”

illycaffè General Manager Giovanni Loser also expressed his satisfaction:  “This alliance is a perfect example of how, by creating high level business synergies, we can promote Italian excellence.  illy performs its role as an international ambassador for the Italian lifestyle with great passion, which is why we believe strongly in the great potential of the travel and tourism industry.  So we’re extremely proud to be able to delight the discerning palates of Costa’s guests with the unmistakable aroma of the illy blend and in so doing continue to disseminate Italy’s quality espresso coffee culture around the world.”

Under the agreement, illy will be offering guests on Costa’s ships a full immersion espresso experience lasting the duration of the cruise.  In all the shipboard bars and restaurants Guests will be able to enjoy the superb aroma and velvety, full bodied taste of illy’s signature blend, in a wide range of flavors:   expertly blended recipes specially devised for Costa’s bars and espresso machines in collaboration with the Università del Caffè illy, which was set up 15 years ago with a brief to share coffee culture and knowledge worldwide.  Also on offer will be illycrema, an icy creamy taste sensation – 100% illy Arabica-based pleasure made simply with the added ingredient of micro-crystals of ice.  The illy experience will continue in the Suites, where Guests will have their own Y5 iperespresso capsule machine.

Cruisers on the Costa Diadema will also be able to sample other excellent products marketed by the  illy Group:  Mastrojanni (Brunello di Montalcino) wine, a selection of Dammann tea, Agrimontana marrons glacés and preserves, and fine Domori chocolate.  Customers will also find a dedicated area in the shipboard shop where they can purchase illy products and so extend the illy experience at home after the cruise is over.


illycaffè, headquartered in Trieste, produces and markets the one signature blend of espresso and is a market leader in the high-end coffee segment.  Over 6 million cups of illy coffee are drunk every day around the world.  illy is sold in more than 140 countries and is available in over 100,000 leading restaurants and bars.  There are currently 230 “espressamente illy” outlets comprising the chain of Italian-style coffee bars operating in more than 30 nations.  The company established the Università del Caffè with the objective of fostering and sharing coffee culture.  This center of excellence provides thorough theoretical and practical training for growers, baristas and coffee lovers.  illycaffè is the official coffee partner for Expo 2015 and, in this capacity, the company will be in charge of the Coffee Cluster, a pavilion at the universal exposition dealing with coffee in all its forms from the earth to the cup.  illy has a workforce numbering approximately 1050 worldwide.  In 2013 the company recorded consolidated turnover of 374 million euros.
illy has ethical relations with coffee growers, from whom it acquires the most sought after Arabica beans while operating so as to ensure sustainability in every aspect of its coffee sourcing.  The Trieste-based company has direct long-term relationships with the best growers in the world – in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa – providing them with expertise and technology, and guaranteeing above-market prices to growers who meet its quality standards.


For 66 years, the ships of Costa Cruises (www.costacruise.com) have plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream holidays with the utmost in terms of fun and relaxation.  Its fleet, the largest in Europe, has a total of 16 ships in service, flying the Italian flag.

For further information
www.illy.com
illycaffè – Anna Adriani/Christine Pascolo,  Tel. 040/389.0111 – Fax 040/389.0490 press@illy.com
illy Press Office – Connexia - iCorporate
ufficiostampa@icorporate.it

Costa Crociere S.p.A. - Communication & Sustainability Department
Hansjoerg Kunze - Vice President Communication – cell. +39 3387127870 - kunze@costa.it
Gabriele Baroni – Communication Director – cell. +39 349 7668013 - baroni@costa.it
Cristiano de Musso - Head of Corporate Communication - cell +39 334 6805095 – demusso@costa.it