A taste of Italy

Lavazza is a family-run company that puts decades of experience into all the coffee products it makes

What’s your go-to coffee? A frothy cappuccino? A cup from a French press before you start your day? An espresso in the afternoon? Lavazza, a fourth-generation, family-run Costco coffee supplier, has created a line of quality coffees so you can make it however you like. “In Italy, coffee is an important moment,” says Michael Tysiak, vice president of retail sales, Lavazza U.S. “It’s a moment to enjoy with others or on your own.”

More than a century of experience

Lavazza’s sole focus is on coffee. The brand lives and breathes this beloved drink, and it’s been that way ever since the young Luigi Lavazza sought his fortune in Turin, Italy, in the late 1800s. The company began when he transformed his first grocery store business into a coffee roaster.

Close family involvement makes the company what it is. Luigi’s descendants still play a key role in the company, including Alberto (chairman), Giuseppe, Francesca, Marco and Antonella Lavazza.

“The family are still a big part of the company,” Tysiak says. “So much so that whenever a new product is developed, it can’t be released to the market until someone from the family has tasted and approved the new blend.”

Great products, made responsibly

The company ethos—to create coffee blends customers love—hasn’t changed since 1895. But in modern times, its worldview has. Looking after its coffee-growing communities has become increasingly important.

In particular, Lavazza works with coffee farmers to improve the livelihood and well-being of coffee-growing communities. The Lavazza Foundation, set up in 2004, currently funds 24 projects in 17 countries, helping over 94,000 coffee producers to improve crop yield and quality.

“We really do live and breathe our values,” says Tysiak, adding that the family’s passion for the product and the growers makes the coffee-drinking experience special for its customers.