History of origin
In the early 40s of the last century, Francesco Illy managed to develop the first coffee machine. In terms of functionality, this coffee machine was not much inferior to modern units. From that time to the present day, the Illy family dynasty has maintained continuity and has been involved in the coffee business for many years.
After Francesco, Ernesto (his son) began to run the company; he made a huge contribution to the family business, namely:
- created laboratories for coffee research, which were equipped with the most advanced equipment. They carried out quite in-depth research, from cultivation to blending.
- in early 2000, Ernesto opened a university called "Del Caffe". Training was provided here on coffee cultivation, collection and subsequent processing, and much more.
Today Illi coffee is not just a global producer of a wonderful drink. It is an active participant in many events, a sponsor, owner of several educational institutions dedicated to the study of coffee, and winner of many awards in the field of quality and marketing.
The company's offices are located in more than 100 countries around the world, and there are only about 200 coffee shops where you can try national Italian coffee.
Cost of goods
As it was, it falls into the category of expensive coffee. The cost varies depending on the point of sale where it can be purchased, as well as on the type of packaging. And you can buy it in online markets from official representatives or from suppliers.
As for retail grocery stores, you can’t buy Illy everywhere. For example, it can be found in large supermarkets and specialized shops. In Moscow and St. Petersburg there are Illy stores and coffee shops from this manufacturer.
So, still the price. A minimum price of 650 rubles has been set for a 250-gram jar of ground coffee. You can't find it cheaper, but more expensive - yes. If you drink coffee regularly, Illy will turn out to be a very uneconomical drink.
Some statistics
All of the above is not all of the company’s achievements; it has many more discoveries. If we consider the company’s achievements in numbers, it will look like this:
- 135 countries where you can buy coffee from an official source
- 55,000 grandiose events every year, where Illy takes an active part
- approximately 1,000 employees distributed across all continents
- 200 cafes have been opened around the world
- 4 research organizations opened under Illy's leadership
- 20 educational institutions in the world studying “All About Coffee”
Francesco Illi has developed a smart espresso technology called IPERESPRESSO, which now makes getting real espresso even easier and faster.
Features of coffee
Perhaps one of the most famous coffee brands in the world and in Russia: Illy coffee has been tried by almost everyone who drinks this drink. Affordable, excellent in quality, in convenient, recognizable cans - this Italian coffee captivates from the first cup.
You may be interested in learning more about the manufacturer, factories, innovations, assortment, prices and reviews about Illy coffee. And if you haven’t bought it yet, it’s definitely worth doing.
Illy coffee reviews
The world-famous brand “Illy” has also gained popularity among Russian buyers. Moreover, the vast majority of those who tried this drink did not identify any bad qualities in it. None, except the cost. This is perhaps the only negative. This is still an expensive pleasure for the Russian wallet.
You can find more reviews about Illy ground coffee on the Internet, since at home many people brew the drink in a Turkish coffee pot rather than in a coffee machine. And as these reviews say, “Illy” attracts with its aroma, which fills the entire apartment. The aroma is incredible, rich, with chocolate and caramel shades, the color is rich, the drink has an appetizing foam that forms on the surface.
Reviews of Illy coffee beans indicate that in this state the product retains its original taste longer.
And no matter what roasting method is chosen, the taste will not deteriorate. As many people note, even a low-caffeine drink invigorates you in the morning.
Types of Illy coffee
The brand’s drinks can be classified by type of packaging and type of roasting; they are produced under two names: “Mono Arabica” (Guatemala, Ethiopia, Colombia or Brazil) - coffee from one country, or simply Illy indicating the degree of roasting and grinding level - a blend of nine Arabica varieties.
By type of roasting
- Dark. A strong drink with a bright caramel aroma and chocolate-caramel taste with a noticeable piquant bitterness.
- Average. Soft coffee with a barely noticeable hint of caramel in the aroma and a pleasant chocolate taste.
- Medium decaf. A soft and light drink with chocolate notes in the aroma and a caramel aftertaste.
By type of packaging
- In beans and ground, dark roasted - in a tin with a black stripe.
- Bean and ground medium roast - in a can with a red stripe, and decaffeinated - with a green stripe.
- In pods - for preparing espresso in branded coffee machines of the ESE system
- In iperEspresso capsules - for preparing the drink in branded machines Y1, X1, X7, X8.
Types of packaging
“Illi” is varied in packaging methods. The manufacturer mainly focused its activities on creating raw materials for preparing the drink in a Turk and a coffee machine. It will not be possible to find an instant drink, since the company does not produce such a product.
So, you can find Illy coffee on sale:
- ground;
- in capsules;
- in grains;
- in pods.
All types of packaging are suitable for preparing the drink in different devices. Illy ground coffee, which has only positive reviews, is available in different degrees of grinding. To preserve the original aroma and taste for a long time, a special preservation system is used. All this contributes to the fact that the powder can be used in espresso, filters, coffee machines, geyser machines and French presses.
Illy coffee beans are the most popular in sales, since in this packaging the drink better retains its taste and aroma.
Pods are measured portions packaged in bags. Used in espresso machines.
iperEspresso capsules are suitable for coffee machines and Gaggia. Mono Arabica is sealed in such capsules.
Range
illy coffee is presented in a fairly small assortment, but at the same time in a variety of formats, so that you can get the classic illy taste wherever you are and however you prepare the drink.
There is ground, grain, in capsules, in filter tablets. We will talk about different blends and series, since in most cases the same blend is sold in all formats.
Classic illy coffee
The same blend made from 9 types of Arabica, collected from the best varieties in the world, with traditional taste and quality. The blend is based on the Brazilian variety Santos; beans from Kenya, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Brazil are also used.
Decaf is a classic blend, only decaffeinated, so it is suitable even for those who are hypersensitive to caffeine or want to give it up for various reasons. According to the evaluators, the taste and aroma characteristics of the beans were not affected by decaffeination.
There is grinding for espresso machines, preparation in a classic Italian geyser coffee maker, filters, French presses, grains, capsules, etc. are also available.
Monosort
These are four varieties, although some others may be added in the near future. Essentially, plantation coffee from certain regions, which grows in certain conditions, receives its own aroma and taste, characteristic of a particular area.
Somewhere there is more rain, somewhere there are flowering trees growing nearby, or a tree takes a long time to gain strength from the volcanic soil. In general, coffee lovers should try drinks from different regions.
- Ethiopia - delicate taste, delicate aroma with floral notes of jasmine. Special roasting reveals all the shades of this amazingly noble variety.
- Colombia – harmonious taste with a rich and multifaceted aroma. In Colombia, in the Andean Cordillera, there are ideal conditions for growing high-quality Arabica coffee, which is valued throughout the world.
- Brazil - intense aroma with clear caramel notes. Grown in the highlands of Southeastern Brazil.
- Guatemala – rich, bright taste with a complex aroma, clearly noticeable tones of chocolate, caramel and honey.
Sold in grains, crushed, and also in capsules.
Americano
This is a separate series of classic blends, compiled specifically for coffee lovers in large cups. It is a little more saturated, so that even when adding a large volume of water for Americano, the flavor tones are not lost, and the drink still turns out aromatic, intense, and invigorating.
Capsules
The filling is typical - it’s the same classic blend in different degrees of roasting or single-origin, only the standard differs. You can choose the one that is compatible with your coffee machine:
- Iperespresso capsules;
- UNO system capsules
- ESE pods
Specialist roasters have developed the proportions so that with any brewing method, if done correctly, you will get the very taste you are looking for.
Package
It is believed that coffee after roasting can lose up to 50% of its organoleptic properties. Vacuum packaging cannot completely solve this problem. Illy experts have introduced another patented development. Freshly roasted coffee is packaged in a metal can and, using a special apparatus, instead of the air present in the can, food gas is injected.
This allows you to preserve all the taste and aroma characteristics of the drink for a year or more. As it is stored, Illy “ripens”, just like wine, creating a wonderful bouquet of flavors. No package can preserve freshness better than Illy. When opening the bank, a slight whistling sound is observed, which once again confirms the originality of the production and the high quality of the coffee.
The volume of packages varies from 250 grams to 3 kg.
Capsules are sold both in cans of 21 pieces and in boxes of 100 pieces. Illy is not just a global brand, it is a knowledge system that is constantly updated with new facts that are embodied in production.
Interesting Facts
The company's first coffee machine, the Illetta, was created by Francesco Illy in 1935 and marked the beginning of the modern method of making espresso using steam rather than compressed air.
The inventive head of the Illy family came up with and patented a way to preserve the quality of beans for at least three years: the air inside the tin can is replaced with an inert gas. The method was called pressurization and is still successfully used in the packaging of branded coffee.
The proprietary blend of nine varieties of Arabica is based on the Brazilian Santos variety, so IllyCafe even created an award to reward Brazilian farmers who harvested the best harvest - the Brazil Award.
At the beginning of the new millennium, Andrea Illi founded the Universita del caffe for those who want to know more about coffee, about all the processes - from cultivation to creation of the drink. Farmers, journalists, and engineers involved in coffee equipment study at the university. A considerable part of the students are baristas, and there is a course for future marketers and distributors. Branches of the university are open in twenty countries of the world - on three continents.
Coffee machine Illy X7
The Illy logo - that same inscription in white strokes on a red square - was invented by the famous American artist, pop art pioneer James Rosenquist. And the white cup with a characteristic donut instead of a handle was invented by the eldest son of Ernesto Illy, named after his grandfather. His idea was embodied by the famous Italian master Matteo Thun, who is called “the designer who brings joy.”
Prices and where to buy
The cost of illy coffee varies greatly depending on the store, but it definitely cannot be called cheap - the prices are rather average, sometimes slightly above average, on the other hand, there are often promotions. The product is popular, it is well known and purchased without doubting its quality.
You can buy illy coffee almost everywhere - it is sold in supermarkets, retail outlets, coffee and tea stores, and chain hypermarkets.
In Russia there is an official distributor of the brand, which supplies the entire range of products, including teas, sweets, coffee machines, branded cups, etc.
Many online stores work with this brand, so there will be no problems with purchasing - they will deliver to any region.
Taste characteristics
Ground Illy coffee, brewed in a Turk or a special machine, has an original taste that a true lover of this drink can appreciate.
The aroma is rich, attractive, without bitterness. The taste is moderately strong. Depending on the roasting, the drink has some taste characteristics: there may be bitterness or, on the contrary, a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. It all depends on the roasting method, which shapes the taste.
Coffee lovers in reviews of Illy recommend drinking a freshly brewed drink without saving it for later. In general, the product of this brand cannot be called exceptional. It is tasty and aromatic, but has no striking differences from others.
