Lavazza has opened its first flagship store in Shanghai, China, and announced plans to further develop its coffee shop concept in the country with Yum China Holdings.
“We are honoured to join forces with Yum China, a prestigious partner with in-depth knowledge of the market and the needs of Chinese consumers. China is an important market with huge untapped potential for coffee consumption. We have been searching for the right opportunities to establish Lavazza in China and Asia, and this partnership is an important first step,” said Antonio Baravalle, CEO of Lavazza Group.
The new glagship store is located in Jing’an, a historical district in the heart of modern Shanghai. Embracing tradition and innovation, Yum China says the new store allows customers to experience first-hand every aspect of Lavazza within a unique and iconic Italian styled setting. The store design, featuring high ceilings, artistic murals, and marble furnishings, offers customers an immersive Italian coffee shop experience that is almost identical to what they could expect to find in Italy.
Lavazza’s Moka Carmencita coffee maker, with its distinctive conical shape, is in full display throughout the store. The Elektra Belle Epoque limited edition espresso machine, whose look is inspired by the very first espresso machine, can also be found in the café. Yum China says the venue aims to preserve the charm of the history of coffee while telling the unique story of Lavazza’s pioneering role in the development of coffee.
Coffee highlights include Lavazza Kafa, a coffee originating from the Ethiopian forest, and the Lavazza Classic Collection, offering traditional Italian espresso coffee with a contemporary twist.
More than just the classic Italian espresso, Lavazza employs a variety of roasting and extraction techniques, introducing unique coffee creations to China for the first time.
A new offering is Bel Paese Coffee, an exclusive line-up created for the China market, offering a unique journey of tastes from across the different regions of Italy, including using historic espresso recipes and local interpretations.
Like Lavazza’s flagship store in Milan, the Shanghai location serves as a “gastronomic café”. To create the food offering, Lavazza partnered with a Michelin starred chef to bring authentic Italian street food to the local Chinese market. Customers will be able to enjoy a wide offering of savory and sweet Italian snacks, such as focaccia and cannolo alla crema, all showcasing different gastronomic specialties from across Italy.
In recent years, the Lavazza Group has embarked upon a process of international development to tap into new markets and meeting rising customer demand for premium coffee. Meanwhile, Yum China has made advances into China’s coffee market, and in 2019, its brands sold 130 million cups of coffee to Chinese consumers.
“We are thrilled to partner with Lavazza and to bring their authentic Italian coffee experience to China. This is a great news for consumers who seek a premium coffee experience and we are excited to welcome them to the new flagship store,” says Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China.
“We see great potential for coffee in China and Lavazza shares this enthusiasm. Leveraging our deep understanding of Chinese consumers, we look forward to working together with Lavazza to explore the coffee market in China.”