ILLYCAFFÈ ANNOUNCES THE FINALISTS OF THE ERNESTO ILLY INTERNATIONAL COFFEE AWARD 2023

TRIESTE, Italy, July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- illycaffè announces the 27 finalists who will be part of the eighth edition of the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award, the prize named in memory of Ernesto Illy, son of the company's founder, that celebrates over three decades of virtuous collaboration with coffee producers. Among them, the 'Best of the Best' and the 'Coffee Lovers' Choice' will be chosen and will be awarded on November 16^th in New York during a ceremony at the New York Public Library.

During the year, the illycaffè quality laboratories analyzed the samples from the 2022/2023 harvest and selected the best lots and producers, based on both the company's quality and sustainability parameters.

The finalists of this edition are from Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua and Rwanda.

"Our mission is to delight lovers of goodness and beauty all over the world with the best coffee that nature can provide, enhanced with the best technologies and art – comments Andrea Illy, Chairman of illycaffè – the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award allows us to stimulate the production of increasingly good and sustainable coffee".

The 27 finalists of the Ernesto Illy International Award 2023, in alphabetical order, are:

Brazil:
Luis Manuel Ramos Fachada M. da Silva
Raimundo Dimas Santana Filho
São Mateus Agropecuária

Costa Rica
CoopeelDos R.L.
CoopeSabalito R.L.
Finca San Carlos

El Salvador
Finca Agua Caliente
Finca Monterrey
Finca San Rafael

Ethiopia
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. - Dawit Zerihun Kasahun Washing Station
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. - Germa Adere Debele Washing Station
Tracon Trading P.L.C. - Guji Hambela Washing Station

Guatemala
Finca Buena Vista
Finca Danilandia
Pequeños Productores Santa Cruz Naranjo

Honduras
Finca Los Chagüites
Finca Mi Cafetal
Finca Santa Martha

India
Kogilehalla Estate
Nullore Estate
Woddaegooda Estate

Nicaragua
Finca San Antonio
Finca Zaragoza/Exportadora Atlantic
Proyecto LIFT Wiwilí

Rwanda
Kayumbu Coffee Washing Station
Mubuga Coffee Washing Station
Nyakabingo Coffee Washing Station

The ranking of each of the 9 finalist countries will be announced on November 16^th at the United Nations in New York during an encounter where the coffee producers will know who has won access to the finale of the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award 2023.

The 9 finalist coffee samples will be evaluated by an independent multidisciplinary jury of international experts (chefs, journalists, tasters, and professionals), who will analyze them and establish who will be awarded the title of 'Best of the Best'.

Consumers will also be invited to taste the 9 finalist coffees and to express their preference through a series of blind tastings organized in illy's flagship stores around the world in the weeks leading up to the award. The coffee most voted by consumers will win the "Coffee Lovers' Choice" award.

illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients. The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans in the world. Every day 8 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors. Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification. Since 2013 the company is also one of the World Most Ethical Companies. Everything that is "made in illy" is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 125 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers. With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 25 countries around the world. In 2021, Rhône Capital became a minority shareholder of illycaffè with the aim of contributing to the company's international growth plans. In 2022, the company had 1230 employees and a turnover of €567,7 million. The illy single-brand network has 190 points of sale in 34 countries.

SOURCE illycaffè