Simonelli Group Announces New Partnership with the Coffee Science Foundation (CSF) to Develop Largest Open Research Project on Espresso Quality

October 15, 2019— The Coffee Science Foundation (CSF) has announced that Italian coffee machine manufacturer Simonelli Group will become the first major partner of the organization, beginning a new four-year research project. The CSF is a research organization launched by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in April 2019 and is dedicated to advancing the understanding of coffee and securing its future through research, knowledge-building, and outreach. 

Mr. Fabio Ceccarani, CEO of Simonelli Group says, "Innovation and research are core values of our identity. Such values have driven the evolution of our espresso coffee machine and grinders for generations, contributing to building our coffee science knowledge. It’s now time for the next step. This partnership with CSF represents our deep commitment to the scientific process, our love for espresso, and our desire to understand it better. We seek to share our knowledge and give a concrete contribution to the evolution of scientific know-how in the coffee community.” 

The Simonelli Group’s donation to the CSF is the single largest contribution to date since the foundation was formally established in April 2019. As a result, a new, sweeping research project aimed at understanding the impacts of variations in espresso extraction will kick off in early 2020. The research project will use modern sensory analysis, measurement, data analysis, and consumer research tools to create a scientific understanding of espresso extraction standards, techniques, and the resulting impacts on brewed coffee flavor.

“Simonelli Group’s donation to the Coffee Science Foundation is a pioneering and visionary contribution which comes at a critical time:  science and research are more important than ever in keeping our industry sustainable,” said Peter Giuliano, Executive Director of the CSF.

In addition, Simonelli Group will provide US$100,000 in unrestricted funding to the CSF, which will be used for broader research to support the mission of promoting and communicating coffee science and securing coffee’s future.

“Simonelli Group has long been committed to supporting the global specialty coffee community through SCA and World Barista Championships to make coffee better. This contribution is a testament to that commitment, particularly in the field of science and research,” said Yannis Apostolopoulos, the SCA’s Chief Executive Officer.

Research outputs on the Espresso Research stream and other Coffee Science Foundation research projects will be presented at upcoming SCA events, webinars, and publications. To learn more about the Coffee Science Foundation, visit coffeesciencefoundation.org.