1

PLANTATIONS

THE MOST PRIZED COFFEE SPECIES: COFFEA ARABICA

The beginning of our journey through the plantations starts right here: with the coffee plant. Arabica, the most highly prized species is a very delicate plant that needs an environment with specific geographical and climatic characteristics to grow and maintain its sweet, distinct aromatic taste. Robusta, on the other hand, produces a lesser aromatic coffee than that prepared with Arabica, and is characterized by a marked bitter taste. This is why we, at illy, have always chosen to exclusively use Arabica for our coffee, selecting the 9 finest Arabica coffees in the world.

KNOWLEDGE AND COOPERATION: ILLY'S VALUE CHAIN

In order to offer you a coffee with the best organoleptic characteristics including taste and smell, it’s essential to start with an understanding of the raw material and the relationship of trust and cooperation with those who transform simple coffee beans into a taste experience. Our value chain starts with farmers, agricultural experts, technicians and researchers, establishing a relationship of trust and respect together to build a real community and culture of excellence.

EACH COUNTRY PRODUCES A UNIQUE COFFEE

Our coffee comes from different territories in terms of geography, climate and crop types. The 9 finest Arabica coffees we have selected come from the Coffee Belt: the geographical area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn near the equator, which crosses countries with tropical climates.

CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICA

are characterized by a light, sweet Arabica coffee with acid notes produced by manual cultivation and harvesting techniques. In Guatemala, for example, we find a very sweet coffee characterized by chocolate notes.

ASIA

where Arabica production is concentrated mainly in Indonesia and India, produces a full-bodied coffee with a pleasant hint of bitterness and a spicy aroma.

AFRICA

more precisely Ethiopia, the birthplace of the Arabica plant, offers one of the most distinctive coffees in the world thanks to its floral aromas and scents of jasmine, orange blossom and chamomile. Kenya, on the other hand, which produces less coffee than other countries, offers an Arabica of the highest quality thanks to its temperate and stable climate.

SOUTH AMERICA

where Brazil is recognized as the country that produces the largest amount of coffee in the world. The taste of this coffee, with its balance between acidity and bitterness, is characterized by unmistakable notes of caramel and dried fruit. In Colombia, the second largest coffee product country in South America, with almost 12 million bags per year, represents about 10% of the world’s production of Arabica. The flavor of this coffee is sweet and delicate.