Home » Italy news » Currently Reading:

Battle for Coffee in Paradise Rocks the Pearly Gates

December 11, 2009 Italy news 8 Comments

In a sense, it could be argued that Italian coffee maker Lavazza has controlled paradise for around fifteen years.

Recently though, trouble seems to have percolated its way up into kingdom come.

Devilish Swiss food-giant Nestle appears to have mounted a challenge to Lavazza’s 15 year domination of the heavenly kingdom and has sent Holywood star, one George Clooney, to do battle at the pearly gates in the hope that he may be able to convince the almighty consumer to favour the flavour of Nespresso.

Lavazza may well be considering trying to give arch rival Nestle a thorough roasting in the Italian courts for attempting to invade what has been Lavazza’s dominion for the last 15 years or so.

Indeed, Lavazza has already requested, reputedly at a low-key meeting in a Turin coffee house, that Nestle cease and desist in its attempts to mount this dastardly George Clooney led paradise invasion campaign.

Aiding and abetting George Clooney, who many Italians thought loved Italy and one rather attractive Italian in particular -Elisabetta Canalis- is John Malkovich who plays the heavenly coffee drinking father in Nestle’s bid for paradise.

A Lavazza Coffee Cup

A Lavazza Coffee Cup

Yes, an almighty storm in a (Lavazza) coffee cup is brewing.

Expect spilt coffee beans in the ensuing battle.

What is all the fuss about?  Make yourself a cup of coffee and read on to find out more.

LavAzza Serves It’s Heavenly Coffee in Paradise

Here is a collection of Lavazza coffee ads from the last 15 years – the heavenly connection is clear enough, as you will see:

YouTube Preview Image

Nestle Attempts to Get Nespresso Past the Pearly Gates

And here is the ad which Nestle is showing in what is being viewed as an attempt to gain control of the coffee market in paradise.  This ad is also being shown on Italian television, much to Lavazza’s disdain:

YouTube Preview Image

Lavazza thinks, but is not too sure, that naughty Nestle has stolen, or is doing its best to steal, the ‘best coffee in paradise idea’ – in an overt attempt to take Lavazza’s place in the al di là.

Lavazza needn’t be worried.

If I were chief coffee advisor to God’s procurement department, I’d recommend that he send Nestle off to some hotter region to tout for business.

Coffee lovers should go for real coffee in paradise!  All those bad people roasting down below deserve something else, adds he, mischievously.

By the way, if you did not know, Lavazza does rather nice coffee flavour calendars.  The 2010 Lavazza Calendar can be seen here:

2010 Lavazza Calendar – Have a look at the other calendars too – especially if you like photography.

A Lavazza Calendat Photograph - just one of many since 1993

A Lavazza Calendar Photograph - just one of many since 1993

Declaration of interest.  First, I like Lavazza coffee (Crema & Gusto is my favourite), and I drink it at home.  Secondly, I helped Lavazza a little with the launch of the 2010 Lavazza Calendar.  I also drink Nescafé, but, after many years in Italy, I would hesitate to call it coffee.

I may not end up in paradise.  I may end up with a Lavazza 2010 Calendar.

Mini-Update: I did end up with a 2010 Lavazza Calendar – and it looks very good in the flesh too.  So far, though, I have not ended up in paradise (Capri was not too far off, though.).

Extra-mini update: I’ve been told that Nespresso coffee is a much closer relation to coffee than Nescafé is – so perhaps Lavazza does need to worry a little about losing its place in paradise.

Over to you Lavazza!  But who’s ever heard of Swiss coffee?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Currently there are "8 comments" on this Article:

  1. Di says:

    Oh, you must mount a campaign against Nestle. Italian coffee is surely the best in the world, I remember Nestle’s nasty coffee while I was living in Istanbul. I drank it because it came with milk in a powder form in a packet and I needed caffeine to survive teenage students. I’m ashamed but I drank it. I have since spent a lot of time in Italy drinking sublime coffee and can’t believe that Nestle would have the nerve to attempt any kind of takeover.

    I hope the Italians stand firm again this …
    George should be ashamed.

    • Alex Roe says:

      I agree Di – Italy should be strong. Italian coffee, Irish coffee – but who’s ever heard of Swiss coffee.

      And yes, George has gone down in my estimation too – he should move to Switzerland, the bounder.

      Merry regards,

      Alex

  2. The Nescaffe in question is quite different and very good. That said, I still think when I get to Heaven they’ll serve Illy.

    • Alex Roe says:

      “The Nescafe in question is quite different and very good.” – When are you moving to Switzerland, Judith?

      (Between you me and any passing gateposts, I’ve heard that Illy is rather good too – Do like my Crema & Gusto though)

      Merry regards to you,

      Alex

      • The Nespresso I tried in Manhattan about 5 years ago and I was sold. The little cialde cost a bomb, though. Every cup was great, perfect, at least the gold ones.

        Illy is simply the gold standard, or even the platinum standard for caffe italiano, which is why they CAN charge so much for it.

  3. Elisa says:

    I wanted to blog about this too but, once more, you beat me to it. I’m too lazy for my own good, so I’ll just link to this excellent and funny post of yours.

    The thing I loved the most about this post is that you managed to squeeze so many coffee-related idioms and words in it! I will use it in class with my students – if you don’t mind, naturally.

    “I also drink Nescafé, but, after many years in Italy, I would hesitate to call it coffee.”

    Lol. So true.

    • Alex Roe says:

      Glad you liked it Elisa! It was fun to do too! A lovely story, if ever there was one.

      Took a wee bit of thought to mix in those coffee idioms – and a hint of caffiene too!

      As for using it with your students – feel free! Buy me a coffee some time!

      Merry regards,

      Alex

Comment on this Article:







Recent Comments

  • Al: Hi Sam,You gave Alex’s page on “Speeding, and other traf...
  • Sam: Hi AlThanks Al and Alex for the very useful information ...
  • PabloUK: Irm,As you will have seen from earlier posts in this thr...
  • Digital Food Photography in Siena: Ciao Melania: Both Alessandro and Barbara are professionals...
  • nelania sollini: Ho letto con molto interesse. Da anni mi occupo di fotografi...

Advert

Book Luxury Italy Holidays - CItalia the leading Italian specialist

Globalpost

Blog From Italy at Blogged

Essential Italy Books from Amazon.co.uk

Useful Links

Hire a car in Italy
Auto-Europe - Car Hire Italy
Buy Italian Wine
Oliver McCrum Wines
Go Tuscany!
Tuscany Villas

The 442 Pub in Milan

442 Pub Milan

Blog Flux Directory

Find the best blogs at Blogs.com.

Visit Beautiful Italy

Want to visit beautiful Italy? Start your trip in Rome and book one of the hotels in Rome through EasyToBook.com. EasyToBook.com are a Blog from Italy contributor.

Hotels in Rome

Want to visit Rome? Take a look through Expedia.co.uk's selection of hotels in Rome. Expedia.co.uk are a Blog from Italy contributor.

Follow Blog from Italy

Via RSS: Blog from Italy's Feed

To get Italy flavour news and updates via Twitter, follow: @newsfromitaly 2300+ followers and counting.

Italy News

Francesco Cossiga Understood Italy

18 Aug 2010

For those who did not know, Francesco Cossiga, who died the other day, was an Italian politician and one time President of Italy. Cossiga hailed from Sardinia, was a fan of John Le Carre and had earned himself the nickname “the pickaxe” owing to his no holds barred criticism of other Italian politicians.

Berlusconi v Fini – Slinging Old Mud

12 Aug 2010

As you may be aware, the generally tumultus world of Italian politics is in turmoil. The Berlusconi government is teetering on the brink of collapse, but what is really surprising, is that this collapse was sparked from the inside.

Berlusconi Divorces Fini

30 Jul 2010

Kotipizza Berlusconi

From spat to full-blown split. Silvio Berlusconi’s marriage of political convenience to Gianfranco Fini has ended in tears. Scorned lover Berlusconi even rejected Fini’s last minute attempts to kiss and make up and remain part of Berlusconi’s party of love. End of love in. Period.

Ads

Related Posts

Italian Design classic – The Italian Coffee machine

Coffee: Caffe, Caffe’ Americano. Caffe’ Corretto. Caffe’ Freddo. Caffe’ Latte, Caffe’ Macchiato, Cappuccino – in Italy there is a coffee drink specifically for every time and mood. Beautifully designed machines made by companies such as Gaggia, Pavoni, Brasilia, and Faema offer a great caffeine fix.

Sant’Eustachio Cafè – Legendary Italian Coffee

The Sant’Eustachio Cafè down in Rome is something of a legend. This mythical coffee house located in Piazza Sant’Eustachio should be something of a Mecca for all lovers of Italian coffee.

Cappucino art

In some bars here the barmen and women – they are mainly male – create images on the frothy surface of cappucinos. These images can …