Skip to main content
Back
  • LIVE HAPPilly
     
    Back
    LIVE HAPPilly
    • The road to taste
       
      Back/ LIVE HAPPilly
        The road to taste
      • Plantations
      • Production
      • Blending
      • Roasting
      • Storage
      • Preparation
    • The road to sustainability
       
      Back/ LIVE HAPPilly
        The road to sustainability
      • OneMakesTheDifference
      • Stories of sustainability
      • Sustainable shopping
      • Awards
      • B Corp
    • The road to art
       
      Back/ LIVE HAPPilly
        The road to art
      • illy Art Collection
      • Art Places and events
      • Special Projects
    illy Chef Ambassador

    illy Chef Ambassador

  • Coffee
     
    Back
    Coffee
    • Coffee preparation
       
      Back/ Coffee
        Coffee preparation
      • Espresso
      • Cappucino
      • Moka
      • Neapolitan
      • Brewed Coffee
      • Turkish Coffee
      • French Press
    • Coffee Recipes
    • Arabica Selection
    Coffee Preparation

    Coffee Preparation

    Discover all the ways to enjoy the taste of happiness, enclosed in a cup.

    Coffee Recipes

    Coffee Recipes

    Discover new ways to experience coffee.

    • Classico
    • Intenso
    • Forte
    • Lungo
    • Decaffeinato
  • Machines
     
    Back
    Machines
    • Capsules Coffee Machines
    • Ground Coffee Machines
    • E.S.E. Coffee Machines
    • E.S.E. & Ground Coffee Machine
    Iperespresso

    Iperespresso

    Just one touch to obtain a delicious taste.

    Ground Coffee

    Ground Coffee

    The gesture of a Master Barista for your cup.

    E.S.E. Coffee

    E.S.E. Coffee

    A unique system, an unmistakable experience.

  • illy Art Collection
     
    Back
    illy Art Collection
    • illy Art Collection
    • Our Artists
    illy Art Collection

    illy Art Collection

    A meeting of two passions: coffee and art.

    illy Art Collection Ai Weiwei

    illy Art Collection Ai Weiwei

    A matter of perspective

  • Stores
     
    Back
    Stores
    • illy Caffè
    • illy Shop
    illy Caffè

    illy Caffè

    The authentic Italian coffee.

    Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

    Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

    Our nine winning coffees, available for tastings

    Store Locator

    Store Locator

    Find the illy bar near you.

  • Professional
     
    Back
    Professional
    • Business Types
       
      Back/ Professional
        Business Types
      • Cafes and Coffee Shops
      • Bakery or Pastry Shop
      • Hotels
      • Restaurants
      • illy Caffè
      • Office
    • The illy Value
       
      Back/ Professional
        The illy Value
      • illy Quality
      • The illy Team
      • Leadership
    • Services And Training
    • illy Chef Ambassador
    Contact Us

    Contact Us

    Get in touch with us to learn about opportunities for professionals.

    Customer Portal

    Customer Portal

    Access exclusive services for illy professional customers.

  • UNIcaffè
     
    Indietro
    UNIcaffè
    • Courses
    • Projects
  • About us
     
    Back
    About us
    • illy
    • illycaffè History
    • Research & Innovation
    • illycaffè's Certified Quality
    • Press Area
    Who we are

    Who we are

    The dream to offer the best coffee to the world, since 1933.

    • Ernesto illy Foundation
    • Gruppo illy
    • Circolo illy
  • LIVE HAPPilly
    LIVE HAPPilly
    • The road to taste
      • Plantations
      • Production
      • Blending
      • Roasting
      • Storage
      • Preparation
    • The road to sustainability
      • OneMakesTheDifference
      • Stories of sustainability
      • Sustainable shopping
      • Awards
      • B Corp
    • The road to art
      • illy Art Collection
      • Art Places and events
      • Special Projects
    illy Chef Ambassador

    illy Chef Ambassador

  • Coffee
    Coffee
    • Coffee preparation
      • Espresso
      • Cappucino
      • Moka
      • Neapolitan
      • Brewed Coffee
      • Turkish Coffee
      • French Press
    • Coffee Recipes
    • Arabica Selection
    Coffee Preparation

    Coffee Preparation

    Discover all the ways to enjoy the taste of happiness, enclosed in a cup.

    Coffee Recipes

    Coffee Recipes

    Discover new ways to experience coffee.

    • Classico
    • Intenso
    • Forte
    • Lungo
    • Decaffeinato
  • Machines
    Machines
    • Capsules Coffee Machines
    • Ground Coffee Machines
    • E.S.E. Coffee Machines
    • E.S.E. & Ground Coffee Machine
    Iperespresso

    Iperespresso

    Just one touch to obtain a delicious taste.

    Ground Coffee

    Ground Coffee

    The gesture of a Master Barista for your cup.

    E.S.E. Coffee

    E.S.E. Coffee

    A unique system, an unmistakable experience.

  • illy Art Collection
    illy Art Collection
    • illy Art Collection
    • Our Artists
    illy Art Collection

    illy Art Collection

    A meeting of two passions: coffee and art.

    illy Art Collection Ai Weiwei

    illy Art Collection Ai Weiwei

    A matter of perspective

  • Stores
    Stores
    • illy Caffè
    • illy Shop
    illy Caffè

    illy Caffè

    The authentic Italian coffee.

    Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

    Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

    Our nine winning coffees, available for tastings

    Store Locator

    Store Locator

    Find the illy bar near you.

  • Professional
    Professional
    • Business Types
      • Cafes and Coffee Shops
      • Bakery or Pastry Shop
      • Hotels
      • Restaurants
      • illy Caffè
      • Office
    • The illy Value
      • illy Quality
      • The illy Team
      • Leadership
    • Services And Training
    • illy Chef Ambassador
    Contact Us

    Contact Us

    Get in touch with us to learn about opportunities for professionals.

    Customer Portal

    Customer Portal

    Access exclusive services for illy professional customers.

  • UNIcaffè
    UNIcaffè
    • Courses
    • Projects
  • About us
    About us
    • illy
    • illycaffè History
    • Research & Innovation
    • illycaffè's Certified Quality
    • Press Area
    Who we are

    Who we are

    The dream to offer the best coffee to the world, since 1933.

    • Ernesto illy Foundation
    • Gruppo illy
    • Circolo illy
  1. Home
  2. Who we are
  3. illycaffè history
Macchina caffé prototipo Macchina caffé prototipo

illycaffè history

Francesco Illy founded illycaffè in 1933.  His 1935 invention of the illetta, considered the blueprint for modern espresso machines, revolutionized coffee preparation.  His innovative method of packaging, based on pressurization, enabled illy’s initial exports to Sweden and Holland during the 1940s.  Francesco Illy’s method remains the standard for preserving and enhancing coffee’s freshness during transport and storage.  

Ernesto, Francesco’s son, earned a doctorate in chemistry and joined the company in the late 1940s.  His passion for learning gave rise to illy’s formal scientific and technological research efforts, starting with an-house laboratory dedicated to coffee chemistry.  In the 1950s, he spear-headed the company expansion into homes, selling smaller cans of ground coffee for the first time. In 1965 he moved the company to its current Via Flavia headquarters, still in Trieste.

In 1974, Dr. Illy furthered the company’s lead in coffee innovation with ESE, the first pre-measured espresso pods, making café-quality espresso simple and easy at home or the bar.  In 1988, he introduced and patented a photo-chromatic means to identify the highest quality beans, one by one, right at the source.

The 1990s saw the creation of the illy Art Collection, a new logo by renowned pop-artist James Rosenquist, and establishment of the Brazil Award recognizing excellence in coffee cultivation. Today, illy is synonymous with premiumItalian coffee in over 140 countries worldwide under the guidance of Ernesto’s son, Andrea Illy, who continues the tradition of innovation and coffee excellence.

Logo illy 1933

1933
Francesco Illy founds illycaffè

Francesco Illy, of Hungarian descent, travels from Vienna to Trieste, the coffee city, at the end of the First World War. In 1933 he founds illycaffè based on a dream: to offer the best coffee in the world.

Il primo barattolo di caffè illy - 1934

1934
Pressurisation

illycaffè patents its revolutionary pressurisation system, which the company still uses today to pack its products: the properly ripened coffee can thus travel worldwide whilst keeping its aroma and freshness.

Macchina da Caffè vintage - 1935 illy

1935
Illetta, the first high pressure espresso machine

Illetta, the very first modern espresso machine, is created thanks to the patented system of separating water heating and pressure.

Mappa Svizzera

1939
illycaffè in Europe

illycaffè becomes the ambassador of espresso culture in Europe and begins exporting through its first foreign base in Switzerland.

Uffici storici Illy & Hausbrandt

1957
The first research laboratory

Ernesto Illy, the founder's son, joins the company after gaining a degree in chemistry and sets up the first research laboratory, creating synergies with prestigious international scientific institutions.

Barattolo di caffè storico Illy

1957
Quality at home

With the new production department, a small cylindrical can filed home use is created ground coffee.

Mappa Olanda

1962
Growth continues in Europe

The company reaches northern Europe with its first branch in the Netherlands.

Sede illy Caffè

1965
New headquarters

illycaffè moves to its current premises in Via Flavia. The founder's dream continues: Ernesto Illy now focuses on international development.

L'innovativa cialda di caffé illy

1974
The first single portion on the market

illy is the first company to market coffee pods – single-serve doses of ground, tamped coffee - which make the perfect espresso at any time and in any location: a radical innovation in the history of coffee which will pave the way for illy’s internationalization.

Mappa Stati Uniti

1980
illycaffè in the U.S.A.

illycaffè arrives in the United States, the first Italian roaster to export espresso culture across the ocean.

Chicchi di caffé

1982
illy quality in each single bean

illycaffè patents the digital sorting machine, which analyses the colour and shape of beans to ensure each one is perfect.

Il Premio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade do Café para Espresso

1991
illy a pioneer in selection at origin

The Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade do Café para Espresso is created, through direct relationships with growers, ensuring the best quality and, thanks to Ernesto Illy and his daughter Anna, transforming coffee production in Brazil.

Scritta illy Art Collection

1992
illy Art Collection

Beauty and goodness: Francesco Illy comes up with the idea of the iconic cup, designed by Matteo Thun. A contemporary interpretation of the centuries old art of decorative porcelain, the illy Art Collection has been added to over the years by consolidated and upcoming artists, becoming the largest collection of art objects in the world.

Campagna pubblicitaria sul blend illy - 1992

1992
Communication of the unique illy blend

A new advertising campaign focuses on the uniqueness of the illy blend, conceived by Riccardo Illy. 9 origins of the highest quality Arabica coffee to affirm the brand's leadership in bars and at home.

Macchina del caffé X1 - 1995

1995
X1: design and technology for espresso

60 years after Illetta, the grandson Francesco Illy sets up Francis Francis! and creates the X1 for home espresso: it is still a style icon today.

Logo illy di James Rosenquist - 1996

1996
James Rosenquist and the new logo

Art and science of Espresso: the legendary American "pop" artist James Rosenquist create the new illy logo, to express uniqueness also in the stroke.

Barattoli di caffè del laboratorio AromaLab - 1998

1998
AromaLab

AromaLab launches at Trieste's Science Park Area: a laboratory for studying the single aromas in the unique illy blend.

Logo dell'Università del Caffè illy - 1999

1999
L’Università del Caffè

With a mission to spread coffee culture around the world and share knowledge to improve quality, the University of Coffee covers the entire supply chain, from plant to cup.

Barattolo di caffè da 250gr per casa -2001

2001
The can changes

The "250 grams" home can is a miniature version of the one used in bars, immediately becoming an international icon.

Realizzazione piattino con tazzina di Sebastião Salgado - 2002

2002
Sebastião Salgado

After an encounter with the great photographer Sebastião Salgado comes a journey into the paradise of coffee, to pay homage to the men and women growing it. The project lasts 14 years and travels to 10 countries, culminating in the "Scent of a Dream" exhibition.

Lampadario con tazzine illy in un bar illy caffè - 2003

2003
Single-brand stores

illycaffè launches espressamente illy, the authentic Italian bar project, followed, in 2015, by illy Caffè and illy Shop.

Prima versione della Capsula Iperepresso - 2006

2006
iperEspresso, the third-generation espresso

Thanks to the two infusion and emulsion phases, the Iperespresso capsule, covered by 5 international patents, produces a coffee with an intense aroma and velvety consistency.

illy Moka - 2007

2007
The quintessential moka pot

illy research develops illy moka, to improve the organoleptic properties of the Italians' favourite coffee. New grinding and a coffee pot that does not "burn" the coffee.

Macchina del caffè Mitaca - 2008

2008
Mitaca

illy entry in the share capital of Mitaca, a specialist in portioned systems for offices.

Set di  bottiglie illy Ready-to-drink - 2008

2008
illy Ready-to-Drink

Coca-Cola and illy bottle cold coffee and the unique illy blend becomes available "on the go".

Logo dell'illy Responsible Supply Chain - 2011

2011
Responsible Supply Chain

Andrea llly launches the idea of certifying sustainability. Issued by DNV GL, RSCP certification assesses the social, environmental and economic impact on all stakeholders in the chain.

illy Soft Can - 2013

2013
Soft Can

Created in response to the 20-20-20 objectives of the European plan, illy Soft Can is the first home pack made from pressurised flexible material.

Logo World's Most Ethical Companies - 2013

2013
Most Ethical Company

For the first time, illycaffè joins the list of the World's Most Ethical Companies, drawn up annually by Ethisphere Institute.

expo milano logo

2015
EXPO Milano

The largest celebration of coffee in history: illy, an official partner of Expo 2015 and the International Coffee Organization, coordinates a special programme of events and hosts the Coffee Cluster, the coffee pavilion visited by over 13 million people.

ernesto illy award

Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award

The Premio por la Qualidade do Cafè para Espresso goes global: the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award is launched, paying homage to the talent and hard work of quality growers.

PRODUCTS
  • Coffee
  • Coffee Machines
  • illy Art Collection
ABOUT US
  • illy
  • illycaffè History
  • Research & Innovation
  • Ernesto illy Foundation
  • Gruppo illy
  • Press
SUSTAINABILITY
  • Coffee Growers
  • Good for the environment
  • Sustainable Projects
  • Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award
  • #thanks4thecoffee
  • Premio Ernesto Illy
  • Sustainable Products
SITE USE
  • Legal Notes
  • Privacy
  • Cookie policy
  • Review your cookie preferences

Follow us:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Work with us
  • Procurement Portal
© 2022 illycaffè S.p.A. | P.IVA 00055180327- Via Flavia 110, 34147 Trieste – Italy  | All rights reserved
  • Work with us
  • Procurement Portal
© 2022 illycaffè S.p.A. | P.IVA 00055180327- Via Flavia 110, 34147 Trieste – Italy  | All rights reserved
  • Work with us
  • Procurement Portal
© 2022 illycaffè S.p.A. | P.IVA 00055180327- Via Flavia 110, 34147 Trieste – Italy  | All rights reserved

EUROPE


  • Italy Italy
  • France France
  • Luxemburg Luxemburg
  • Germany Germany
  • Spain Spain
  • Belgium (Nl) Belgium (Nl)
  • Belgium (Fr) Belgium (Fr)
  • Netherlands Netherlands
  • Austria Austria
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

SOUTH AMERICA


  • Brasil Brasil

NORTH AMERICA


  • United States United States
  • Canada (En) Canada (En)
  • Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr)

ASIA


  • China China

REST OF THE WORLD


  • illy global site illy global site