Lavazza, Italy's Leading Coffee Company, Launches First American "Espression by Lavazza" Tuesday, November 11 in the Arcade Level of the Drake Hotel in Chicago

The American launch of Espression by Lavazza™, Italy's leading coffee company, takes place Tuesday, November 11 in the arcade level of The Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton Place in Chicago. The hotel welcomes the debut of the new concept store which offers an innovative approach to coffee consumption, environment, service and quality.

The Espression by Lavazza café concept was awarded the 2008 Grand Award for Restaurant Design at Global Shop, sponsored by the Association of Retail Environments. The fresh and contemporary approach to coffee is illustrated through design as well as the menu. Lavazza teamed with world-renowned consulting chefs Ferran Adrià and Moreno Cedroni to develop the menu ideas. The menu is highly creative and its exclusive offerings, including food and original espresso and gelato beverage creations, are designed with the best in contemporary ingredients.

A few examples of the tasty menu items are a Brie and prosciutto panini with fig and tangerine marmalade, hearts of artichoke salad with shaved parmesan drizzled with passion fruit dressing, a smoked salmon caprese salad, Bresaola salad, and the Duetto Bocconcino Formaggio (pictured left) - two mini whole wheat buns, cream cheese, tomatoes and greens paired with blue cheese, walnuts and raisons. All salads and sandwiches are made fresh to order and served at the table on porcelain plates. The breads, muffins, croissants, cookies and more are baked on-site daily.

"We're very pleased with the early success of Espression by Lavazza in Europe and very excited about the American launch of our new concept in the fall of 2008," said Joerg Oberschmied, Chief Operating Officer of Premium Espresso, the wholly owned Lavazza subsidiary that is spearheading the launch. Tom Thomas, general manager of The Drake Hotel, stated, "The Drake is an ideal venue for the first Espression by Lavazza café in the United States because for nearly 90 years the hotel has been synonymous with the finest in amenities and services. Lavazza and its Espression by Lavazza café represent a continuation of that great tradition."

Lavazza's coffee creations are a blend of espresso with gourmet ingredients presented in unusual ways. Innovative and exclusive offerings include Espesso™, solid espresso created by culinary mastermind Ferran Adrià, which was awarded Best Invention by Time Magazine. The mousse-like treat will arrive in Espression by Lavazza at the Drake Hotel and is available in espresso, cappuccino and macchiato flavors.

The name "Espression" refers to espresso, the signature Lavazza product and also the company's popular tagline, "Espress Yourself." Espression by Lavazza features a youthful, eclectic and contemporary design that glows with creativity, vitality and a touch of glamour. The traditional materials used evoke Italian design history, but they are designed with a strikingly modern look and feel. The mood is vibrant throughout and the space interacts with people, gaining their attention while stirring their emotions. The scribble graphic style chosen for the backgrounds represents Espression by Lavazza's recurring visual theme. The "eclectic Italian nature" was taken as the central element for the aesthetic definition. Old traditional stereotypes were put aside in order to bring to the surface a truer and more modern way of being Italian.

ABOUT LAVAZZA

Lavazza, Italy's leading coffee company was founded by Luigi Lavazza in 1895 where he first invented the concept of the blend, the complex art of mixing coffee of different origins to obtain a harmonious and delicious flavored espresso. Today Lavazza still operates as a family business that values innovation and quality while respecting their Italian tradition. In 2008 the company was awarded a Corporate Green Globe Award (businesses that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to furthering sustainability) by the Rainforest Alliance. For more information, please visit www.lavazza.com.

Lavazza cafés are casually-elegant European-style coffee shops serving exceptional coffee beverages as well as a wide range of delicious, freshly prepared breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, pastries and gelato. Many of the breads, cookies and breakfast items are baked on-site daily and orange juice is squeezed to order. The signature Espesso™ the coffee you can eat, was named among Time Magazine's best inventions of 2006. The décor is contemporary-chic and the walls have artwork from the annual Lavazza calendars. Chicago locations are at 27 W. Washington, 134 N. LaSalle, 111 W. Jackson, 162 E. Ohio.

For more information on the new café concept Espression by Lavazza™ please visit www.espression.com.

THE INTRIGUE OF ESPRESSION BY LAVAZZA

What is it? It's the hot new Lavazza café whose trend-setting contemporary Italian décor captured the buzz at GlobalShop 2008 even before it received the Grand Award for Restaurant Design at the show. Each day, guests are treated to "Italy's Favorite Coffee" and the groundbreaking food artistry of celebrity chefs, like Ferran Adrià and Moreno Cedroni.

What best describes Espression by Lavazza to others? A stylish, fun, civilized place to meet friends for creative coffee drinks, and deliciously fresh, made-to-order salads, sandwiches as well as freshly baked cookies and desserts. All served throughout the day at your table, on real china!, as you lounge about on luxuriously upholstered Italian designer chairs, people-watching and taking in the cool touches-like the famous Lavazza Calendar art on the walls and unique red and white scribbles on the tables. See more at espression.com!

How did the idea come about? The Espression by Lavazza concept was developed to create a true place of Italian pleasure where guests can enjoy delicious food and Lavazza's innovative coffee creations.

Where in the world is it? There are currently only a few other Espression by Lavazza cafés in the world-in Germany and Italy with more to come. This is the first Espression by Lavazza in North America!

Why Chicago? Why not Chicago?! It is the demographic and geographic center of the country. And according to Travel & Leisure, the city is the dining capital of the U.S., celebrated for its hospitality and culinary prowess.

Why the Drake? The best of Chicago meets the best of Italy in one outstanding location! Both Lavazza and the Drake Hotel have built their long-standing and esteemed reputations on quality, service and authenticity.

Where did the name Espression come from? It's a tribute to Lavazza's premier coffee product, espresso, and complements the company tag line, Espress Yourself.

Lavazza "Italy's Favorite Coffee," is a family-owned company currently run by the third and fourth generations of the family. It was founded in 1895 in Turin, Italy, by Luigi Lavazza, a businessman and chemist, who constantly stressed innovation, research, experimentation and evolution. The company was the first to mix beans of different origins to produce superior coffee blends and the first to introduce vacuum-sealed packaging. Today, Lavazza is the leader in terms of quality, using only the finest raw materials and advanced technology to create its world-renowned Italian espresso. The company's 40+ state-of-the-art training and laboratory facilities are second to none, and Lavazza's products are enjoyed in 80 countries worldwide.

In 2006, the company's mousse-like treat èspesso, created by celebrity chef Ferran Adrià, was singled out as one of Time magazine's Best Inventions of the year. Lavazza has taken the lead in the visual media as well, most notably with its famous and wildly imaginative calendar photographed by the likes of David LaChapelle, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Eugenio Recuenco, Ellen Von Unwerth, Finlay MacKay and Annie Leibovitz. Equally important is its role as a socially responsible corporate citizen. Meaningful partnerships have been formed with Save the Children, the Rainforest Alliance and its own ¡Tierra! program to ensure agricultural and economic sustainability in developing countries. www.lavazza.com