Francesco Illy founded illycaffè in 1933, where he began to revolutionize coffee preperation, starting with invention of the illetta in 1935 which is considered the blueprint for modern espresso machines. In the 1940's, his innovative pressurized packaging method enabled illy’s initial exports to Sweden and Holland. Today, Francesco Illy’s packaging method remains the standard for preserving and enhancing coffee’s freshness during transport and storage.

Ernesto, Francesco’s son, earned a doctorate in chemistry and joined the company in the late 1940's. His passion for learning gave rise to illy’s formal scientific and technological research efforts, starting with an in-house laboratory dedicated to coffee chemistry. In the 1950s, he spear-headed the illy's expansion into homes, selling smaller cans of ground coffee. In 1965 he moved the company to its current Via Flavia headquarters, still in Trieste.

illy Promo Codes for October 2024