What? Illy is the most authentic Italian coffee brand ever, right? Well, Francisco (Ferenc) Illy, the father of the Italian espresso was born in Hungary in 1892 and after the First World War; he settled in Trieste and got married. So… that’s it. In Italy, he found work in companies dealing with cocoa and coffee roasting, and the idea of airtight vacuum packaging was born. Illy invented his own method for maintaining the quality of freshly roasted coffee, so it could be delivered to other locations rather than roasting it on the spot.

In 1933 Illy founded Illycaffè and invented the first automatic coffee machine which substituted pressurized water for steam. The Illetta became the predecessor of today's espresso machine. His son, the food chemist Ernesto Illy took over the management of the coffee company, which is now in the hands of the third generation Illy's.

The main products are the various Illy coffee blends whose most important feature is that they are made from 100% Arabica coffee bean. The products are packaged in hermetically sealed metal box. Rich and full-bodied, yet velvety smooth: distinctly Illy. Illy is present in 140 countries: millions of coffee lovers consume Illy at home, at fine hotels, restaurants and cafes, and at work, every day.

Illy is where experience, taste, scientific curiosity, art and culture come together to create a multidimensional and multisensory pleasure in the cup. Illy considers respect for the environment and people that nurture coffee a fundamental part of doing business - in evidence every day for 20 years across Central America, South America, India and Africa. It is expressed through Università del caffè ("University of Coffee") providing hands-on instruction at no cost to coffee growers.