Seated on deck chairs around the back of the lively illy stand, to the backdrop of the loud music and bustling festival – and plied by illy’s zero waste soft serve ice cream and espresso martinis – I quizzed Franco on the importance and significance of regenerative agriculture and its certification.

Franco explained that illy is the first brand with the complete certification, meaning that all the steps throughout the company’s supply chain are audited and certified. Not only is illy’s Brasile Arabica Selection Coffee Regenagri certified, but so is the company itself. Therefore, any other coffee illy sells that comes from Regnagri certified farms, via a certified producer, is also covered.

When certifying farms, Regenagri looks at the full set of criteria, whether that be soil health; reduction in use of water and energy; biodiversity; use of fertilisers; intercropping; or conservation efforts. They are all measured and assessed and scored against, said Franco. Farms or businesses need a Regenagri score of 65 per cent to achieve the certification. “We look at the whole picture. Consider it like a puzzle, where each of the components has weight, and each of the components is measured and verified for improvement, and everything together gives the final result of the Regenagri certification,” said Franco. He added that, crucially, the programme requires improvement every year: “you cannot be certified Regenagri and let things stay,” he said, and this is what drives the impact of the certification.

This improvement is crucial and needs to be tangible. If a company does not improve, Regenagri requires it to submit an improvement plan to shape their strategy. Franco explains that they don’t want to immediately cut companies out that haven’t improved, because farming is more complicated than that. If improvement is not seen in the first year, they have to submit an improvement plan, which is verified the following year. If they are still not able to achieve results, they cannot stay in the programme and remain Regenagri certified. “I think it is a fair balance between helping them and giving them some urgency as well,” commented Marco.

And there is urgency for these changes, especially in coffee. “There is strong power from both sides [consumer and company] to engage with the farmers and with the suppliers, and to reward them for their efforts to do better farming, and then also the power towards consumers to convey the right message,” said Franco. He added that consumers are getting increasingly aware and knowledgeable about sustainable farming and the environment, but they need to be much more informed about regenerative farming. Brands that take on the Regenagri certification and display it on their products are part of this consumer education.

Each company that is working towards or has achieved a Regenagri certification will have entirely context specific plans. What this means, Franco explained, is that each of the criteria is assessed based on the specific context, which region, which climatic area, the type of soil where they are farming. Different areas will have different needs and priorities and the Regenagri plan can be adjusted accordingly.

I then asked about whether the new EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) is expected to impact Regenagri’s work in any way, or if it’s being welcomed with open arms. Franco responded that “the eligibility criteria of the Regenagri standard for farms has always included the checks to see if the applicant has been involved in deforestation or conservation; it’s been there since the beginning …, so basically the EUDR is embedded into the original standard.”

While regenerative agriculture practices are recommended to all kinds of farming, Franco explained that there is special potential in coffee. “In this case in Brazil, the reductions of carbon footprint for coffee is actually nearly double what is achieved in other arable crops.” He added that “in Brazil, I think there are approximately 50,000 hectares of farms that are certified. If you put them all together, in one year they have essentially reduced [the equivalent of] ten per cent of the carbon footprint of London.” When companies first start on their regenerative agriculture journey, there is huge room for improvement, then as they improve “the curve flattens a bit,” but the impact is great.

It is all moving in the right direction, companies and farms just need to be educated and motivated to make the change. When I asked whether Franco thought that governments should be doing more to incentivise and perhaps subsidise regenerative agriculture transitions, Franco commented, “I’m not always in favour of subsidising something; I’m more of a believer of letting the system create value by itself. Subsidising usually means creating a bubble,” he said, emphasising it is more important for a true economic system to be developed to support the regenerative supply chain, where value and impact is recognised.

Hopefully, going forward, we will see many more companies being certified by Regenagri, especially in coffee and tea where there is huge potential, as well as already existing practices that champion regenerative agriculture. Steps like this by the big coffee and tea organisations are essential at this stage to safeguard our industry.

• Kathryn Brand, associate editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: kathryn@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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Every year, the conversations around sustainability increase, and the pressure is ever-growing from consumers and stakeholders for brands to truly act to futureproof our coffee and tea industries, as well as the planet itself, for future generations. This special section of our annual Sustainability Issue highlights some of the work and projects tea and coffee brands are undertaking to enact long-lasting change and impact. By Kathryn Brand

Efforts at origin

Clipper Teas is the United Kingdom’s first and longest-standing Fairtrade tea partner, values which have been intertwined with the brand since its inception. Clipper shares its mission with Fairtrade to raise awareness of the benefits of sustainable farming for people and the planet, informing its decision to also be certified organic. This year, Clipper launched its There’s Tea, Then There’s GOOD Tea campaign across Europe, aiming to highlight its brand story and show that it takes more than just taste to make good tea, specifically ethical and sustainable growing practices. At Clipper, this means supporting tea estates and smaller farms to become more sustainable, while paying workers fairer wages, including the Fairtrade Premium, which communities can spend in areas they decide are most needed.

Recently, Clipper’s Fairtrade Premium was used to fund an ambulance for a Mozambique tea estate. Over the past three decades, Clipper has contributed an estimated GBP £6.8 million to the Fairtrade Premium, and much of the tea bought by Clipper today is the same as 25 years ago, since when Clipper has supported the farms to become biodiverse and wildlife-friendly. Long-standing support and nurtured relationships with tea farmers is essential to their sustainability.

Sustainability at origin is not only crucial for the continuation and success of tea production, but for the people in the tea growing communities. This is evidenced in DavidsTea’s Nepal Water Project. The Canada-based tea brand recognises that clean water is not just a fundamental human right, but the essence of its product, from nurturing the Camellia sinensis plant, to brewing a cup of tea. DavidsTea has aligned itself with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. DavidsTea has joined forces with Jun Chiyabari, a key partner from which the company sources its Organic Nepal Black Tea, to tackle the clean drinking water issue in Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden in Nepal’s Dhunkuta district. The local government schools, crucial for the education and well-being of the community’s children, suffer from a lack of clean drinking water. This not only hampers the health of the students and staff but also affects their overall educational experience.

The collaboration began during DavidsTea’s 2020 Giving Week, in which it dedicated five percent of all loose leaf tea sales on 28 November to find clean water initiatives in Nepal. Jun Chiyabari then matched DavidsTea’s contribution, allowing it to expand the project to encompass not just three but four schools. In August 2021, Phase 1 was completed: the installation of sustainable water filtration systems in four schools, impacting over 3,200 children and staff. In March 2022, DavidsTea continued its commitment to the project, directing one percent of the proceeds from its Organic Nepal Black Tea to the mission, allowing it to begin Phase 2 in March 2024, through which it is aiming to bring clean water to two additional schools. This latest phase is expected to reach a further 862 students and staff across six schools in seven buildings.

Last year, illycaffè launched the first coffee produced through 100 percent regenerative agriculture. Brasile Arabica Selection Cerrado Mineiro is Regenagri certified, a third-party programme that certifies regenerative agriculture claims. It supports farms and organisations to transition to holistic farming techniques that increase soil organic matter, encourage biodiversity, sequester CO₂ and improve water and energy management. Italy-based illycaffè believes investing in the people who grow coffee is just as crucial in protecting the ecosystem and so funds a number of initiatives that further this goal:

• The Seeds for Progress Foundation helps to build new schools and offers training for teachers in Nicaragua;
• Reforestation in Colombia works to restore native vegetation, clean groundwater and improve the living environments for coffee growers;
• Farmer Field School is supporting women in Rwanda since 2019 when illycaffè financed the acquisition of a coffee plantation and planted around 2,500 certified-quality coffee plants to function as a Farmer Field School for 40 women coffee producers;
• Viveiro de Atitude programme helped build nursery housing for over 100 plant species in Brazil, preserving biodiversity and water resources as well as promoting environmental education in the country.

illy is investing in quality research and collaborating with a research project to: sequence the genome of Arabica coffee to help coffee growers adapt their plants to the changing climate conditions; it is building long-lasting relationships with growers based on knowledge-sharing and sustainable growth; and implementing a new certification protocol for coffee procurement, monitoring supply chains, guaranteeing the quality of the product, and protecting the environment and worker safety.

Pact Coffee has been fundraising reforestation projects and working only with farmers that follow sustainable practices for years, but in 2020 launched Cenicafé 1, a coffee variety developed over 20 years by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC). As the world heats up, many Arabica coffee varieties struggle to grow. These warmer temperatures also bring a higher likelihood of disease to coffee plants, plus the conditions that plant-killing pests thrive in. It’s a problem that’s forcing farmers to go higher up into the mountains, causing deforestation and economic hardship. Cenicafé 1 is resistant to a number of fungal diseases, can be grown all over Colombia, and offers a high density of coffee cherries, giving farmers greater harvests on small amounts of land. It has quickly achieved high cupping scores and this year Pact launched its first limited edition Cenicafé 1 from the Buenos Aires farm. UK-based Pact is working to widen the recognition of Cenicafé 1 to increase demand for the variety worldwide and show Colombian farmers that there’s a profitable future in a sustainable variety on their existing farms.

To assess and improve conditions across the global community of coffee growers, Peet’s Coffee has partnered with Enveritas. The non-profit organisation uses technology combining AI and satellite imagery with on-the-ground surveys to: conduct 20,000 sustainability audits of smallholders each year; invest in over 30 different impact projects spanning Central America, South America, and the Indo-Pacific; work with World Coffee Research to provide funding for genetic conservation of coffee; have 24 countries verified by Enveritas for responsible sourcing; and, as part of JDE Peet’s, work towards fully validated science-based targets to contribute effectively to the fight against climate change and be at the forefront of deforestation prevention and restoration.

California-based Peet’s engages with Enveritas each year to evaluate the impacts of its projects: in Guatemala, the company has partnered with TechnoServe to train smallholder coffee farmers in overcoming agronomic and economic hurdles impeding their businesses and livelihoods; in the biodiversity hotspot, Finca Don Bosco, Panama, Peet’s collaborates with Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to protect migratory songbirds by ensuring canopy cover, tree height, and biodiversity; and Peet’s has constructed the Butterfly School Papua New Guinea Bunum-Wo Estate, serving as educational enrichment and health care learning for nearly 200 young children of the farm’s workforce and the surrounding community.

Despite challenges such as climate change and economic instability, over the past year, 99.7 percent of Traditional Medicinals’ herbs were certified organic, and 30.1 percent were fair-certified. The California-based company advised on the creation of the FairWild standard and Foundation, which sets standards for sustainable wild collections of medicinal plants, ensuring that plant material is harvested ethically, sustainably and transparently. Traditional Medicinals has set a goal of sourcing 80 percent fair-certified herbs by 2030, to which its Fair for Life certification marks significant progress. This year, the company has reinvested over USD $174,000 in fair premiums into source communities, a 10.6 percent increase from the previous year. Traditional Medicinals has invested a further $2 million to origin community projects, local non-profits and certification standards. In Zimbabwe, 4,000 people gained access to safe drinking water, 510 farmers in Madagascar were trained in sustainable agricultural practices, and 2,300 women in Egypt participated in health education.

In-House and the community

Birchall Tea has opened its brand-new fully solar-powered tea factory in Wiltshire, England. Its roof-top solar installation features more than 460 solar panels, which are capable of generating all the clean renewable electricity for its on-site operations. The purpose built, state of the art tea factory generates so much energy, that it even puts power back into the National Grid. In addition to this, in May 2020, Birchall achieved the Carbon Neutral International Standard, which means that all of its products are 100 percent carbon neutral.

Similarly, Equator Coffees has reduced its carbon emissions by 80 percent per roasted coffee batch through its investment in energy-efficient Loring Smart Roasters. Other sustainable practices Equator undertakes in its roastery include donating its burlap coffee bags to local farms, composting its chaff locally, and upcycling coffee excess with Extrafood. For its cafés, the California-based company is always looking out for partnerships and resources to improve its sustainability efforts. In 2023, Equator launched its Too Good To Go programme in five of its cafés, aiming to fight food waste by providing surplus food to customers at a reduced price. Equator plans to expand the programme across as many of its retail locations as possible. It continues to encourage its customers to get their drinks in for-here serve ware and use their own reusable cups in its cafés, offering a USD $0.25 discount for customers who bring their own cups, both of which have seen a significant use increase since 2022. The to-go cups and containers that Equator does offer are 100 percent compostable.

Sustainable packaging has long-been a priority for illy. Its cans and tins are made from recyclable metal, and it has recently launched its new certified ESE compostable coffee pods which come in illy’s three blends: Classico, Intenso and Decaffeinato. illy was also the first Italian coffee company to obtain a B-Corp certification.

Little’s is addressing packaging sustainability by becoming the first instant coffee company in UK supermarkets to go 100 percent plastic free. Its coffee pods and ground coffee bags are fully recyclable while its jars are of UK-made glass and aluminium lids. In 2022, Little’s moved its coffee capsule manufacturing from Europe to the UK so that all Little’s roasting and pod manufacturing is done in its on-site roaster, meaning it can both reduce its carbon footprint and be certain of good practices. As a result, the brand is on its way to being carbon neutral.

Since July 2023, Pact Coffee pouches have all been 100 percent recyclable. By being made from a single material, the bag is much easier to recycle into new plastics, and its low-density plastic design using a high proportion of recycled materials ensures it uses as little new plastic as possible. These bags also fund the ‘this bag saves’ project, which stops plastic bottles from entering our oceans. For every kilogramme of packaging purchased, ‘this bag saves’ recovers and recycles the equivalent of two plastic bottles from Asian rivers. Pact explains it chose this option over ‘compostable’ alternatives because around 90 percent of people in the UK do not have the means to compost at home, and compostable packaging can take years to break down, meaning most ends up in landfill or food waste, where it blocks the recycling process. Pact’s carbon footprint is then offset by SeaTrees, a project which protects and regenerates coastal eco-system by planting and restoring aquatic plants that are highly effective in absorbing carbon.

Fostering a better balance between nature and people is something Traditional Medicinals is working towards, with its Traditional Medicinals Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to help people live consciously connected to nature through two pillars: making herbal education accessible and fostering a mindset of stewardship through interacting with nature and conserving resources.

In 2023, Traditional Medicinals aligned with the Science Based targets initiative (SBTi), aiming to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42 percent by 2030, and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The company also conducted a natural capital impact assessment that enabled it to identify, measure, and value direct and indirect impacts and dependencies on natural capital. The framework is crucial for understanding the dynamic relationships between organisations and the health of the natural world, which critically informs decision-making.

BioSense capsule. Image: AluSense

Suppliers commit to a greener future

As with the brands and companies they work with, suppliers to the coffee and tea industry are also passionate about utilising sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. This dedication to sustainability is reflected in multiple ways such as ethical sourcing, environmental protection, climate adaptation, energy efficiency and waste reduction. Below is a sampling of coffee and tea suppliers, which through their sustainable practices, are contributing to a healthier planet and a more sustainable future. By Aubrye McDonagh Leigh

IMA Coffee is committed to increasing sustainable practices to reduce roasting emissions and test alternative packaging materials, implementing advanced eco-friendly solutions throughout the industrial process to rise to the challenge of coffee sustainability. Over the past few years, IMA’s approach to sustainability has led to the design and adaptation of packaging technologies to effectively handle compostable materials, in collaboration with important partners in the field.

Recently, Italy-based IMA Coffee, in partnership with Minnesota-based NatureWorks, a leading manufacturer of polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers made from renewable resources, developed a new compostable coffee pod solution compatible with Keurig brewers for the North American market. For the rigid capsule body, NatureWorks was able to combine non-compounded, highly crystalline, and heat resistant Ingeo PLA grades with a refined single-stage thermoforming process to achieve production rates comparable to incumbent polypropylene (PP) capsules. The rigid thermoformed capsule was then combined with a non-woven filter and multi-layer top lidding solution, also made with Ingeo. The use of one primary material through all three components of a coffee pod is more cost effective and offers greater consistency when heat sealing the components together, thus preserving the taste and aroma of the enclosed coffee.

The collaboration between NatureWorks and IMA, bolstered by IMA OPENLab, the group’s network of technological laboratories and testing facilities, laid the groundwork for a new market-ready coffee pod solution. Multiple studies and tests on the new compostable material and its performance throughout the packaging process have led to the proper configuration of IMA’s coffee-pod filling and sealing machines, enabling them to handle the rigid capsule, filter, and multi-layered top lid made of Ingeo PLA biopolymer with high precision. This will facilitate the easy setup of new production lines, thereby offering a turnkey compostable and sustainable solution at high production speeds, ensuring high-quality brewing.

With the world’s largest production capacity for empty Nespresso-compatible aluminium coffee capsules, AluSense products are distributed in over 80 countries. The Belgium-based company offered the first capsule made from 80 percent recycled aluminium, boasting CO₂-neutral accreditation to ensure zero environmental impact.

AluSense’s latest innovation, BioSense capsules, are 100 percent bio-based and compatible with all Nespresso Original Machines. These empty capsules mark a significant step towards sustainability without compromising on quality. The mono-body design and custom dome shape of BioSense capsules allow for packing over 20 percent more coffee into each capsule, the highest volume in the home-compostable market. These capsules also provide exceptional protection against oxygen and moisture, ensuring coffee retains its rich flavour.

BioSense home-compostable coffee capsules are made entirely from second-generation end-use bio-based materials, free from PLA, plastic, oil, bisphenol A, or fossil fuels. Their fully compostable nature is validated by the OK compost HOME certification. BioSense also holds certifications from Hansecontrol, SGS, TUV, ISSC, and CO₂ Neutral.

Descafeinadores Mexicanos (Descamex)’s sustainability strategy is based on three main pillars: the community, the environment and the people. Its sustainable practices include:

• Certifications: Since 2007, Descamex has been certified by the Rainforest Alliance and Bird Friendly. With these, it directly and indirectly employs better agricultural practices.
• Social Responsibility Badges: Since 2005, the company has maintained the ESR badge (Socially Responsible Company), seeking to promote social responsibility and is one of the three SMEs in Mexico that has had the badge the longest. In 2024, Descamex finalised its SMETA four pillars audit and is now 100 percent compliant.
• Planting of trees: Through its volunteer programme, Descamex planted 135 fruit trees between April 2023 and April 2024.
• Energy efficiency: Descamex uses the energy storage system obtained with cleaner generation methods (hydroelectric) with a monthly impact that stops the emission of 27.6 tons of CO2, equivalent to planting 1,660 trees.
• Waste management: At the end of 2023, Descamex’s recycling rate was 87 percent, the coffee powder generated is donated as fertiliser to the coffee plantation, which improves the soil quality.

Mexico-based Descamex also supports World Coffee Research, which unites the global coffee industry to drive science based agricultural solutions to urgently secure a diverse and sustainable supply of quality coffee today and for generations to come.

Kloth & Köhnken Teehandel GmbH offers fine teas, sophisticated formulations and flavoured/scented tea innovations and has espoused sustainable values since its formation. The Germany-based company believes that sustainable actions cannot be decreed, rather it is a learning process. FairBioTea is a private sector initiative focused on the development of healthy and sustainable, fair and ecological tea production operations and industry. Through its FairBioTea development partnerships, Kloth & Köhnken actively supports Chinese tea farmers who are growing sustainably and improving their quality management.

Since 2007, together with selected tea gardens, Kloth & Köhnken has been helping to make farming more ecological, transparent and sustainable. The company is especially proud of its long-standing cooperations in tea-producing countries where its partners dictate the pace at which they adopt environmentally friendly practices. Through FairBioTea, Kloth & Köhnken establishes a fair and reliable framework for transparent, sustainable tea production, culminating in a premium product.

Most teas Kloth & Köhnken purchases are certified (Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, organic and Fairbiotea). Its certified products exceed the EU organic regulations, and their cultivation also encompasses land use and nutrient cycles, which in the long term will help preserve soil fertility.
Additionally, for more than three years, Kloth & Köhnken’s sustainability team has been working to implement all requirements for the new German due diligence law and for the European regulations to come. This includes the Code of Conduct, which defines internal company requirements as well as minimum standards for environmental, social and ethical obligations. The Code of Conduct is the basis for developing a business relationship with Kloth & Köhnken, which supports companies that take care of their business sustainably, treat their employees well and protect the environment.

Furthermore, under the motto ‘K&K Goes Green’, the topic of sustainability will become more of a focus for Kloth & Köhnken and internal processes will be optimised and made more efficient. This includes asking all employees for suggestions and ideas and raising awareness for a more sustainable way of living.

As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, the importance of sustainable agricultural practices cannot be overstated. Australian Native Products (ANP) promotes sustainability through its cultivation and processing of lemon myrtle. The Australia-based company’s efforts are not just about meeting market demands but also about ensuring the health of our planet and the well-being of future generations.

ANP’s Environmental Management Policy underscores its commitment to optimising quality produce while enhancing the sustainability of natural agricultural resources. This policy is built on several key pillars:

• Resource Efficiency: Implementing precision farming techniques, optimising irrigation practices, and striving to minimise energy consumption by utilising renewable energy sources whenever possible. Soil conservation measures such as mulching and utilising waste stream materials in composting are also employed.
• Biodiversity Conservation: ANP creates wildlife habitats, maintains natural ecosystems, and minimises the use of pesticides and herbicides that may harm non-target species. Its agricultural practices are designed to support, rather than hinder, biodiversity.
• Waste Reduction: Strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle farm waste are integral to ANP’s operations, such as composting product waste and minimising packaging waste.

ANP has also implemented a Climate Adaptation Strategy, which involves:

• Climate-Smart Practices: Utilising climate-smart agricultural practices to ensure sustainable production. This includes the use of organic and biodynamic principles to maintain plant health and soil fertility, minimising the need for chemical inputs.
• Carbon Sequestration: ANP farms contribute significantly to carbon sequestration. Its Lemon Myrtle trees absorb substantial amounts of CO₂ annually, helping to mitigate its carbon footprint.

ANP has achieved the Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT) and Rainforest Alliance (RA) ingredient certification for its Lemon Myrtle leaf products. Furthermore, ANP ensures that all its organic products meet the highest standards, maintaining the expectations of consumers and complying with a range of organic standards.

Looking ahead, ANP is committed to implementing its Biodiversity Action Plan, exploring adaptable cultivars, and investing in innovation for better processing mechanisms.

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The new RTD adds to the brand’s current line up of five ready-to-drink coffees: Café, Café Unsweetened, Café Latte, Cappuccino and Mochaccino. All varieties are made from natural ingredients with no preservatives, added colors or flavors and are packaged in slim, sleek aluminum cans that echo illy’s other recognizable premium products.

“illy Cold Brew Ready-to-Drink reflects our desire to provide consumers many other occasions to enjoy the taste and the quality of illy coffee, keeping in step with modern consumption trends,” said Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè.

“Our new cold brew is more than ready to drink. It is ready for more people to discover the pleasure of illy coffee, in more places, wherever life’s adventures may take them.”

illy Cold Brew Ready-to-Drink will debut at Booth 5407, Hall E at the 2020 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA from 3-7 March 2020 and will become available starting in April at US retail, illy branded cafes and at illy.com, at a suggested retail price of $3.49 per 8.45 fl oz can. illy’s network of North American distributor partners service on- and off-premise customers across retail, online, hospitality and corporate channels.

The rollout will be supported by advertising, social media promotion and experiential events, including a premier sponsorship of BottleRock, the culinary and music festival in Napa Valley and known as the “first taste of summer” from 22-24 May 2020. As the festival’s official coffee, illy partners, customers and festival attendees can look forward to an integrated illy experience in an ideal premium setting including a chance to win a VIP trip to BottleRock, starting 16 March at www.illy.com/bottlerockvip.

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The coffees in the illy Arabica Selection range are made up of single origin coffees from the best harvests in Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, and now India. These coffees offer the chance to experience the singular taste of each origin, celebrating their individual characters, and enhancing the taste and aroma of each one. The identity of each Arabica Selection is not only determined by its geographical origin – the experts at illy, together with internal research laboratories AromaLab, SensoryLab and Food ScienceLab, have developed the best roasting profile for each coffee, refining the perfect expression of each individual origin.

The coffees in the Arabica Selection offer a palette that reflects absolute quality. A range of intensities, from the most delicate to the boldest, are available. From floral notes of jasmine and orange blossom for Ethiopia, to fruity, with citrus and red berries for Colombia, to notes of caramel and nut for Brazil, and for Guatemala distinct notes of chocolate. The new Arabica Selection India brings out all the richness of black pepper and extra-dark chocolate. These flavour profiles are also reflected in the colours of the packaging.

“illy Arabica Selection is a range of the highest quality coffees, the result of illycaffè’s experience in identifying and selecting the finest Arabica beans, and our ability to enhance the characteristic notes. It is a journey to the origins of the individual aromas that make up our blend, inviting coffee lovers to experience the evocative taste of each individual Arabica,” said Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè s.p.a.

illy Arabica Selection India is available in 250g whole bean cans for a retail price of $14.99 and Iperespresso capsules (18 ct) for a retail price of $18.99. Both are available exclusively at illy.com and in illy shops.

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The Canadian eShop, accessible in both English and French, sells the full breadth of illy products including coffee in a variety of formats. The illy blend is available in a range of roasts and formats including whole bean, various grinds for drip coffee, mocha and espresso along with single-serve formats including iperEspresso capsules, compatible capsules, and K-Cup Pods. The product offering also includes Arabica Selection single origin coffees, many coffee accessories and gifts including illy single serve coffee machines, the illy Art Collection, and illy’s convenient monthly coffee subscription program (coming soon).

Over the past ten years, high-quality coffee consumption has steadily increased in Canada, rising by 10% over the last five years.

“This expansion is a win-win to offer Canadian customers a convenient new way to shop and enjoy our products,” said Barry Sheldon, president and chief operating officer for illycaffé North America.

“Canada has warmly embraced our brand over many years, which is a testament to our leadership in creating quality and innovative products, and to upholding the highest standards in sustainability and ethics.”

To celebrate the launch, illy is offering $10 off any purchase of $75 or more between August 1– 22 by using the code CANADA at checkout. Canadian eShop visitors can also enter for a chance to win an illy X1 iperEspresso Anniversary 1935 Machine in stainless steel, a case of coffee and an illy Art Collection set (total retail value of package: $1,000). To enter, visit

Shop illy’s newest online location at: illy.com/canada or illy.com/canada-fr

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At the centre of the collaboration are two iced drinks created by illy’s master barista, Giorgio Milos and SelvaRey’s world-renowned mixologist Brian Klemm. The Spiked Iced Coffee and Spiked Iced Caramel will be featured at stand-alone coffee cocktail carts at festive locations.

illy Ready to Drink (RTD) is 100% Arabica coffee with no preservatives, added colours or flavours and is sweetened with non-GMO beet sugar. The illy RTD Cappuccino, Caffè Latte and Mochaccino SKUs use hormone-free milk and have fewer calories per serving than other popular ready to drink coffees on the market.

“The smooth, balanced flavour of SelvaRey Cacao combined with the smooth, high quality illy RTD’s, makes for the ideal coffee cocktail.” said SelvaRey’s Brian Klemm. “You can simply mix SelvaRey Cacao with illy’s sweetened caffè ready to drink for a perfect combination and it will also go well with the addition of mint, caramel, or vanilla. “

“illy coffee is recognised as a point of reference for coffee culture so we are passionate when it comes to inspiring coffee lovers,” added Gorgio Milos. “This SelvaRey collaboration is exciting as it can cultivate new ways to enjoy coffee and more interest in coffee cocktails.”

Please visit www.SelvaRey.com for more information.

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The patent pending valve captures ambient air – already 78% nitrogen-rich, by nature – that is immediately infused at high pressure into illy cold brew coffee as it’s dispensed. The combination creates a long cascading effect in the glass and a rich creamy head. illy Cold Brew Aria is the first system that infuses ambient air into coffee to create a “nitro effect” without the use of space-consuming nitrogen tanks or air compressors.

The illy Cold Brew Aria valve is adjustable and able to vary the levels of air and effervescence infused into cold brew, all the way down to no bubbles at all – meaning one tap can produce effervescent or regular cold brew, saving space and investment.

Together with  the Aria tap, illy has launched its pre-prepared cold brew pin a 5-litre bag-in-a-box format, eliminating the need for baristas and other staff to manage and monitor up to 12 hours of preparation. It also removes the need for delivery and storage of heavy kegs.

Bag-in-a-Box cold brew remains stable during nine months of ambient storage time and can be served for up to five days once the packaging is opened.

The system is designed with minimal internal lines, making maintenance quick and simple. Just a five-minute daily soaking of the spout, and weekly flushing of lines, are required.

The illy Cold Brew Aria Cold Brew system is available for use by qualified illy accounts with certain volume commitments, and is currently operating in all San Francisco illy Caffè locations. The system can also be retrofitted to existing tap systems to immediately enhance product quality.

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