According to Marco, a flawless cup of liquid gold relies on the union of two factors: the expertise of the person preparing it, and the passion of the person drinking it.
Over a 122-year history, four generations of the Lavazza family have strived to provide consumers all over the world with perfection when it comes to coffee.
The venture continues today, under the direction of Marco and his cousin Giuseppe Lavazza, to ensure that each and every one of the 20 billion cups of Lavazza coffee sold every year is delivered with excellence.
Since its humble beginnings in the Italian city of Turin in 1895, Lavazza has evolved to become the world’s sixth-ranking coffee roaster with a presence in over 90 countries.
Although Lavazza now employs around 3000 people, it remains a family-driven business to the core.
“We are a relatively small family and we rely on a large number of employees,” Marco says.
“In a way we have extended our family to include these workers, all of whom share our passion and commitment to improve every day.”
While coffee and tennis may not appear to have all that much in common, Marco explains that the company’s constant drive to develop is reflected in the athletes taking part in the Australian Open.
Gazing upon the blue battleground that is Rod Laver Arena, where Venus Williams and Kateryna Kozlova are sweating it out for a place in the second round, Marco makes an obvious yet astounding remark:
“These players work the entire year, trying, retrying, investing time and money to improve in some way; we do exactly the same thing.”
Lavazza established a relationship with the tennis community through the Holy Grail of all tournaments, Wimbledon, seven years ago.
Since then, tennis has become a prominent facet of the brand’s identity, and Lavazza is now the only food and beverage sponsor of all four Grand Slam tournaments.
The company’s investment in the sport was prompted by far more than the fact that the Lavazza family enjoy taking to the court for a hit or two in their spare time.
Marco describes tennis as “un mondo trasversale” (a world with no boundaries) with an international array of avid fans, providing the perfect opportunity for the company to attract new consumers and gain further exposure.
“Through events like this, we can present Lavazza as an international brand that is prestigious without being elitist,” he adds.
Not to mention, by working with all four Grand Slams, the company has direct access to four diverse markets for at least two weeks of the year, giving the Lavazza team the chance to discover what it is exactly, that we consumers want.
Having partnered with the Australian Open for the first time in 2016, the Lavazza family is eager to strengthen ties Down Under, playing on the fact that coffee is an integral part of both Australian and Italian culture, albeit in different ways.
“We consider our collaboration with the Australian Open not only a financial sponsorship, but an enduring partnership, and we hope to work with the event to grow together over time,” Marco says.
Somewhat of an “emblem” of this young yet promising affiliation is the Lavazza Café, a permanent fixture standing tall among the hustle and bustle of Grand Slam Oval at Melbourne Park.
Listening to Marco speak, one thing becomes strikingly evident: despite their international status, the Lavazza family never forget where they come from and who they are.
“We are Italian, so it’s important for us to be proud of our nationality and to share our Italian values with the rest of the world in the best way possible.”
And what better way to do that than with a cup of coffee made with the utmost skill and passion?
