La Marzocco Celebrates 90 Years of Excellence in Espresso Machine Innovation and Design

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

La Marzocco Celebrates 90 Years of Excellence in Espresso Machine Innovation and Design in Specialty Coffee Upcoming SCA Experiences include in-booth True Artisan Café, Songwa Art Installation, 90s Themed Dance Party & Home Barista Programming at La Marzocco Café Specialty Coffee Association Expo, Seattle, April 20-23, Booth 1338

Seattle, WA (April 12, 2017)- La Marzocco, the leader in espresso machine innovation and design, has kicked off a grand global tour of celebration for their 90th anniversary in specialty coffee with next stop: Specialty Coffee Association Expo. The international team will meet in Seattle beginning April 20 for a host of events and experiences planned for their partners, new business and home baristas alike.

In celebration of the company’s big anniversary, La Marzocco has launched the La Marzocco 90th Anniversary Tour. With a total of 5 global tour locations, each stop, including SCA, will host an iconographic display of their company heritage, culture and design which includes a 1920s pop- up café installation with attention to detail that includes an ambassador fully dressed in 1920s barista wardrobe to communicate with each visitor stories about the founding brothers, Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi, and highlight the evolution of their machine design and technology, beginning with the only remaining original Fiorenza, their first machine. “We couldn’t be happier to join SCA this year and to have the pioneering coffee community of Seattle, friends and partners from North America and around the world, join us for such a vital moment in La Marzocco history: its 90th Anniversary! From 1927 until today, while pursuing excellence in specialty espresso equipment, we’ve stayed true to our artisan philosophy – and that’s the story we want to tell and share. The La Marzocco 90 th Anniversary World Tour format, including the evocative Fiorenza-focused exhibit, will allow us to convey such narrative in a compelling, memorable way,” shares Guido Bernardinelli, Managing Director, La Marzocco. For SCA Expo taking place at the Washington State Convention Center, La Marzocco (Booth 1338) will be showcasing their best-selling and new commercial machines, grinders and accessories in their highly anticipated annual True Artisan Café, a curated group of best roasters and coffee companies from across the globe to share their coffees with all walk-up guests and attendees, while showcasing the aesthetic, function and technology of the machines. The True Artisan café will host over 40 roasters from across America including George Howell, Intelligentsia and Counter Culture. La Marzocco will also introduce the Strada AV Auto Brew Ratio. This configuration (ABR) incorporates precision scales into the electronics system, providing the barista control over beverage volume, mass, or brew ratio.

The company will also be showcasing a series of cutaway models to help demonstrate the inner workings of La Marzocco espresso machines. Cutaway assemblies include a fully-assembled La

La Marzocco | North America Headquarters | 1553 NW Ballard Way – Seattle, WA 98107 T. 206.706.9104 | F. 206.706.9106 | [email protected] | www.lamarzoccousa.com Marzocco GB5 and (3) group heads on display: Strada MP Conical Valve, Strada AV/EE, and Linea Classic AV. These special fully assembled models demonstrate the hydraulic and electrical systems of the espresso machine, and the paths that water travels during the espresso brewing process. Portions of the machine and its components are cut away and cross-sectioned so the viewer can understand how each component works, and the care and attention it takes to assemble each La Marzocco espresso machine by hand. In booth will also be a special Songwa art wrapped Linea PB machine, Mazzer grinders, Mahlkonig EK43, and a custom yellow Linea Mini decorated by street artist, Bicio, that has been on display in Milan museums.

The La Marzocco booth will also host for the first time, a La Marzocco sister company, Modbar, the leader in undercounter brewing equipment. La Marzocco’s Kent Bakke and Joe Monaghan were early supporters of Modbar’s innovative approach to coffee equipment, and the company has worked in collaboration with La Marzocco to elevate the craft of coffee while enabling closer connections between customers, baristas and the coffee experience. Modbar, headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN, creatively combines art, function and community in true Midwestern style. The booth will feature two brewing stations operated by guest roasters: one in a “2-group” setup with two espresso taps and two steam taps; the second holding two pourover taps for filter coffee. Guest roasters will include Verve Coffee Roasters, Madcap and Onyx Coffee Lab. During SCA, La Marzocco will also be sharing special limited edition 90th anniversary merchandise to include temporary tattoos, shoelaces, stickers, and special bracelets that provide entry to the big 90th Celebration party taking place the night of Saturday April 22nd at La Marzocco Café. The party, planned for 500 guests, will be by invite only, spin only 90s music, and ask people to dress the part for costume contests. The party will include Italian wines, batched Negronis, food trucks, art installation, and other surprises. La Marzocco Home will also be holding a series of special events at the La Marzocco Café called “Welcome Home: A series of classes and presentations for the home barista.” This event will be open to the public and will feature talks by industry experts and hands-on classes with the Linea Mini and GS3 taught by La Marzocco staff. Topics will cover barista tool design, beginner and advanced espresso as well as a coffee tasting from Nordic Approach, one of the most respected green coffee buyers in the industry. Visitors will also be able to experience ORIGIN, a special art installation by Songwa, a coffee farm in Tanzania partially owned by La Marzocco. The installation includes a collection of photos by Canadian photographer Jakob de Boer – previously hosted in galleries around the world. For more information and schedule of events, go to lamarzoccohome.com

“ The SCA Expo has always been a great event for coffee industry professionals to come together and learn. We wanted to create a similar experience for home baristas visiting Seattle to meet other home baristas and experiment with espresso at the La Marzocco Café. The goal is to create value for people who want to attend the Expo, but are not necessarily in the industry,” adds Scott Callender, Director, La Marzocco Home. For more information on La Marzocco, go to www.lamarzocco.com

La Marzocco | North America Headquarters | 1553 NW Ballard Way – Seattle, WA 98107 T. 206.706.9104 | F. 206.706.9106 | [email protected] | www.lamarzoccousa.com For more information on La Marzocco Home, go to www.lamarzoccohome.com About La Marzocco Named for the symbol of Florence, Italy – the seated lion – La Marzocco has been the leader in espresso machine innovations since 1927. For the last 90 years, each La Marzocco espresso machine has been assembled by hand in Florence, Italy, and today La Marzocco espresso machines can be found in the finest cafes and restaurants around the world. A shared passion for tradition and the search for quality and superior reliability continue to distinguish the company. The North American operation for La Marzocco is based in Seattle, offering sales, distribution, technical support, and training to the coffee community, with the goal of being instrumental to the craft and forward motion of the espresso industry. In addition to its commercial offerings, La Marzocco also extends to the home with La Marzocco Home, through which coffee enthusiasts can explore the craft and science of espresso, using highest quality, professional-grade equipment designed for the home. In 2016, La Marzocco launched the La Marzocco Café and Showroom, a café that showcases a different coffee company from around the world every month in Seattle Center. www.lamarzocco.com @lamarzocco.

For La Marzocco North America press inquiries and SCA show appointments, contact Diana Bianchini, Di Moda Public Relations, [email protected], 310.288.0077. For La Marzocco International press inquiries, contact Giada Biondi, [email protected] , +39 055 84919257 ###