The 33rd edition of the Ernesto Illy Award for Sustainable Quality for Espresso Coffee reconfirms the region of Minas Gerais on the podium

SAO PAULO, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 33^rd edition of Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso, the annual award organized by illycaffè to recognize the best coffee crop, unveiled the 3 Brazilian growers and regions most worthy of recognition for quality and sustainability that will represent their country at the 9^th Ernesto Illy International Coffee Awards.

The three winners are Décio Bruxel (Cerrado of Minas), Matheus Lopes Sanglard (Matas of Minas), and Flávio da Costa Figueredo (South of Minas), all from the state of Minas Gerais. They were selected by a panel of judges composed of national and international illycaffè specialists, among more than 670 coffee samples submitted by the best Arabica coffee regions across Brazil. Each winner received a check worth R$10,000.

This award kicks off the selections of the 3 best coffee producers from each of the 9 countries that represent the illy blend and that will take part to the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Awards, the recognition that illycaffè gives to the best coffees among those grown in the regions that contribute to illy's unique blend. Drawing from the Brazilian experience, illycaffè expanded the award in 2016 to encompass all its collaborating producers worldwide to emphasize the importance of working hand-in-hand with them to continue pursuing the virtuous cycle that generates sustainable quality coffee. The 3 winners will represent Brazil at the 9^th Ernesto Illy International Coffee Awards and will compete for the coveted "Best of the Best" award.

Additionally, the ceremony unveiled the recipients of the Classifier of the Year Award, acknowledging the dedication and contributions of classifiers in ensuring the continuous pursuit of sustainable quality coffee.

About the Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso

The virtuous cycle of sustainability begins with the cup of coffee and encompasses the countries where the coffee was grown, through a strategy that rests upon four pillars: working directly with producers, transferring knowledge to them, paying them in a way that makes production sustainable, and creating a club of illy producers. Brazil was the first country in the world where illycaffè started a direct collaboration with coffee farmers in the late 1980s, and in 1991 established an annual award for the best coffee harvest Prêmio illy de Qualidade do Café para Espresso (now renamed Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso) where quality has become the tool for improving the living conditions of coffee producers and related industries. Through the award, the producer has the opportunity to get involved, to verify, in direct comparison with others, the fruit of his commitment, to be rewarded and stimulated to work better and better.

The Prêmio Ernesto Illy de Qualidade Sustentável do Café para Espresso is known to have played a pivotal role for forever changing the course of coffee production in Brazil. Today, the Brazilian bean is now recognized by the international market as one of the best in the world, while until the early 90s the country produced large quantities of coffee but poor quality.

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