France Rugby gives coffee brand a try, UK supermarket relaunches favourite perk, Italian icons put coffee in the driving seat, coffee companies pledge $10m more for sustainability research and high-flying coffee roaster lands a new airline deal
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Lavazza’s Pietro Mazzà, Group Regional Director France & Benelux, with Florian Grill, President of the French Rugby Federation | Photo credit Carte Noir
Carte Noire becomes official coffee supplier for France Rugby
French packaged coffee brand Carte Noire has signed a three-year deal to become the official coffee supplier of France Rugby – a move it described as the ‘union of two French icons’. From January 2025, Carte Noir branding will be displayed at rugby matches at the 80,000-capacity Stade de France national stadium in Paris, with the terms of the collaboration also covering image rights, digital communication rights, hospitality, ticketing and merchandising. Over 10 million viewers watch televised French Rugby matches, according to Lavazza, which owns the Carte Noir brand.
Waitrose relaunches free coffee offer to entice shoppers into stores
UK supermarket chain Waitrose is re-introducing its free coffee offer to entice more shoppers into stores. The upmarket retailer’s nine million MyWaitrose loyalty members will now be entitled to a complimentary hot beverage every day with no purchase required – provided they bring a reusable cup. The offer, originally launched in 2013 but partially in 2017, was highly successful in driving footfall and loyalty memberships. UK-based Caffè Nero has supplied Waitrose’s in-store coffee offer since 2022.
Lavazza and Lamborghini partner on exclusive coffee blend
Italian coffee roaster Lavazza and luxury car manufacturer Lamborghini have unveiled an exclusive whole bean packaged coffee. Priced at $25.99 for a 1kg bag, Lavazza x Lamborghini is a dark roast arabica and robusta blend sourced from South America, Southeast Asia and Africa and ‘embodies the speed, power and precision Lamborghini is renowned for,’ according to a Lavazza press release. The collaboration comes after Lavazza and Lamborghini announced an exclusive partnership in June 2024, which saw Turin-based Lavazza become the exclusive coffee partner for Lamborghini through a range of joint initiatives and events.
WCR member companies renew $10m commitment to sustain coffee supplies
World Coffee Research (WCR) members have renewed a three-year commitment to invest $10m towards coffee breeding and seed sector strengthening programmes. The non-profit, supported by more than 190 member companies across 29 markets globally, is calling on governments around the world to back agricultural R&D investment in the coffee industry to enhance productivity and prosperity for farmers and reduce the environmental footprint of coffee agriculture. WCR has calculated that the global coffee industry faces a $452m agricultural R&D funding gap each year. Prominent WCR member companies include Counter Culture Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, JDE Peet’s, Origin Coffee, Starbucks and Tchibo.
illycaffè becomes the Official Coffee Partner of ITA Airways
Italian coffee roaster illycaffè has signed an exclusive deal with ITA Airways, which will see its coffee served in all airport lounges and on board all flights of the Rome-based airline’s flights. Italian Government-owned ITA operates a fleet of 99 aircraft and has airport lounges at Roma Fiumicino, Milano Linate and Catania Fontanarossa airports. The airline currently flies to 73 destinations in Italy, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, which illycaffè CEO Cristina Scocchia said would enable the coffee group to reach ITA’s 14.8 million annual passengers.