Italian coffee excellence illycaffè, led by CEO Cristina Scocchia, has announced a major strategic manufacturing agreement with Westrock Coffee Company. This multi-year partnership is designed to accelerate the development and packaging of specific product lines tailored to the North American market, which currently stands as the second-largest geography for the company after Italy.
Strengthening North American Operations
“The United States is a priority market for us, where we have achieved double-digit growth over the last four years. Partnering with Westrock is a key milestone in our expansion plan,” says Cristina Scocchia. This collaboration aims to bolster operations in North America, supporting the development of new localized products and enhancing service levels in this vital region.
Through this strategic deal, Westrock will provide a multi-facility platform that allows illycaffè to double the percentage of products destined for the US market that are manufactured locally, with a primary focus on the ready-to-drink category.
The heart of production remains in Italy
Despite this international push, the core of the business remains firmly rooted in Italy. The coffee roasting process will continue to take place entirely at the company’s primary production hub in Trieste. This facility is currently undergoing a significant expansion, which includes the implementation of a new roasting plant and increased capacity for the iconic 250-gram tin. The ongoing development of the Trieste site has already resulted in the stable hiring of approximately 100 new employees during 2025.
This move underscores illycaffè’s commitment to maintaining the high quality of its 100% Arabica blend while scaling up its infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of the global coffee landscape.