Lavazza navigates market turbulence to post record 2024 revenues

Lavazza Group has a presence in more than 140 markets globally | Photo credit: Lala Azizli

Lavazza has hailed the success of its omni-channel strategy and disciplined pricing amid inflationary headwinds after posting robust annual sales.  
 

The premium Italian coffee roaster achieved 9% year-on-year revenue growth in the 12 months ended 31 December 2024 to reach a record €3.35bn ($3.67bn). 

Amid record green coffee prices and high operational costs, Lavazza’s group EBITDA increased 18.6% year-on-year to €312m ($342m), while net profit grew 10% to €82m ($90m). 

Speaking to World Coffee Portal in August 2024, Lavazza Group Chairman Giuseppe Lavazza said the coffee roaster would limit price increases for customers, despite facing €600m ($658m) in additional costs since 2022.  

Despite continuing to “absorb very high costs” in the latter part of 2024, Lavazza’s decision to implement higher retail prices led to a fall in sales volumes – which the coffee roaster said reflected ongoing consumer price sensitivity and an industry-wide 3.5% sales volume decline. 

However, modest price increases enabled the Turin-based coffee roaster to post 4% and 2% revenue growth in key European markets Italy and France respectively, with both at-home and Horeca segments performing strongly.  

Lavazza also reported a robust full-year performance in the US, where revenues increased 12% year-on-year, partially offsetting its underperformance in Europe. 
 

“The coffee industry is facing increasingly complex challenges in a critical and highly volatile macroeconomic and geopolitical context, marked by the continuous rise in raw material costs. These turbulences have required, more than ever, a constant ability to adapt and manage costs at all levels, both operational and capital-related, while maintaining a healthy profitability,” said Antonio Baravalle, CEO, Lavazza Group. 

Speaking in the wake of new US trade tariffs, Baravalle said the coffee roaster will continue expansion plans in the US, where it currently splits production between a Pennsylvania roasting facility and shipments from Turin.  

“Our goal remains to grow in the US because it has an immense market size compared to the rest of the world,” he said. 

Founded in 1895, Lavazza Group has a presence in more than 140 markets globally and operates eight manufacturing facilities across five countries. Alongside its eponymous Lavazza brand, the coffee group also operates the French retail packaged coffee brands MaxiCoffee and Carte Noire, Danish coffee roaster Merrild and Canadian coffee roaster Kicking Horse.  

In April 2024, Lavazza agreed to more than double its stake in vending machine operator IVS Group to 49% in a €185m ($197m) deal. The transaction includes an agreement to fully acquire IVS in 2027.