The illy family's dedication to the creation of the perfect cup of espresso began many years ago in Trieste, Italy. The family's paterfamilias, Francesco Illy, who founded the illy brand in 1933, serves as the company's inspiration and guiding light even today. The illy family's passion for real espresso, and uncompromising taste for quality, have produced the small miracle of perfect pleasure that characterizes every cup of illy espresso around the world.

Illy is a family affair, an unending passionate affair with espresso coffee.


Every year illycaffè s.p.a. makes a significant financial award to the best Brazilian coffee producer. In this way illy seeks to foster and reward the growers' uncompromising quest to produce the finest coffee beans in the world for the finest espresso in the world illy.


The creation of the perfect cup of espresso coffee is undoubtedly a Science as well as an Art . The world's growing fascination with espresso led Dr. Ernesto Illy and Dr. Raffaele Cercola to found the University of Coffee in Naples. A visit to the University of Coffee would lead you to student-filled classrooms where academics and teachers lecture on topics such as the Philosophy of Espresso as well as tutorials on the perfect method to prepare the range of espresso beverages. The classes are primarily attended by espresso afficionados from the ranks of the hospitality and restaurant and bar industries who upon graduation become leading experts and evangelists in the field of Coffee.

Visit the university at: www.unicaffe.it.