CASAVATORE, NAPLES (Italy) – Strong family roots, Neapolitan soul, sociability and tradition have always guided the S. Passalacqua Roasting company, which celebrates its first 75th anniversary this year. A great talent proved throughout its history is the ability to draw on the value of tradition to look towards the future.
Passalacqua celebrates 75 years
Hence, the pioneering intuition of founding the Bar Mexico chain in 1952 – a true concept bar and, to this day, still a top spot for the city of Naples with its three locations – is now taken up, reworked, enriched with equipment and technologies in step with the new market needs, becoming the Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 franchise, previewed at Sigep 2023.
The concept aims to offer operators from Italy and all over the world a meticulously-designed environment, welcoming customers inside a rich noble house, greeted with competence and kindness in a warm space where the protagonist is the art mastered by Passalacqua: the cult of Neapolitan coffee.
The name of the franchise wants to emphasise the essence of Passalacqua as a family business with strong values, its willingness to receive each franchisee in an environment that welcomes them both as people and entrepreneurs, and to collaborate with them for the success of the business, making them true ambassadors of the Passalacqua brand.
“We have developed a concept that aims to eliminate issues that might arise when starting a business and to facilitate baristas, especially those who are new to the field”, says Paola Passalacqua, President of the company. “We provide everything they need, from the study of the location to the furnishings, from the sizing of the machinery to the food & beverage offer. A central role is played by the training we offer, with a team of highly specialised experts who will guide their trainees from the correct management of the concept bar to the preparation of coffee in multiple recipes, as well as the different methods of food preparation. All this is also thanks to high-level partners.”
The concept
The Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 store evokes the opulent Neapolitan elegance, where past and present interact in perfect harmony. A warm venue where customers are welcomed with cheerfulness, competence and politeness.
Peacefully sipping their coffee surrounded by velvet textiles, sofas and refined mirrors typical of the ancient noble houses, guests can chill out in a vintage atmosphere, taking a break to unwind and enjoying moments of pure pleasure.
Replicas of iconic monuments and landmarks of the Campania region made with coffee beans decorate the tables, further inspiring the guests’ curiosity, while the history of the ancient Torrefazione Passalacqua is narrated through refined caption images on the walls.
The materials
Looking through the window then entering the store, beauty and attention to detail immediately catch the eye. The marble counter, evoking the refinement of Neapolitan monuments and buildings, stands out with its wengé wood base, recalling the colour of coffee and adding an extra touch of warmth to the interiors.
Brass contributes to embellish the furnishing, along with the main colours: red, like the fruits of the coffee plant, for the textiles and green, like coffee leaves and raw beans, for the marbles and other textiles.
The versions
Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 is a flexible and modular system that can fit in any environment. It can be accommodated in premises with a surface ranging from 50 sq.m., where there is limited space for the table area and consumption normally occurs at the bar, up to 80-120 sq.m. and more (there is no limit to greatness), with large service and seating areas. The most complete version consists of three counters dedicated to serving coffee, selling pastry and freshly ground coffee, wine and liquor with a specific vocation for the aperitivo.
The models
The Master affiliate model is the version where Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 concept store reaches its maximum expression: materials are of exceptional quality and space is transformed into a story to be told, where classicism and traditions are evoked through unique furnishing and a customised design.
In the Base model, styling and furnishing elements are the same as in the Master model, with an extra attention to the foreseen investment.
The colonial counter
This characteristic element of caffetteria Bar Mexico is here reintroduced: stored in glass silos under nitrogen with the Azomico system, coffees preserve their freshness and aromas at their best. The visual impact is guaranteed along with the quality of the product, which remains pure and intact until when it is collected to be extracted on the spot or sold to customers who wish to bring home the excellent flavour of coffees tasted at Passalacqua family.
The app
Luciano De Crescenzo used to say “When a Neapolitan is happy for some reason, instead of paying for just one coffee, the one he would drink, he pays for two, one for himself and one for the customer who comes after. It’s like offering a coffee to the rest of the world”.
Passalacqua has reshaped this ritual to fit modern times with the app “Apparamm nù café”, which allows to offer or receive a “suspended” coffee and also to find out who offered it, getting to know and meet them in front of an excellent steaming cup of coffee at Passalacqua family.
The blends
In the Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 stores, customers can choose among the 100% arabica blends Harem, composed of ten different origins including Jamaica Blue Mountain, and Moana. They stand out for a refined taste and good body, and they can be easily enjoyed without sugar.
The service
“What coffee am I drinking and what are its characteristics?”: the answer is often hard to find in common bars. Hence, in the Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 stores a unique tray is used to serve coffee, allowing for a complete tasting experience. It accommodates the coffee, a glass of water, a spoon, a small dessert and the description of the blend: its name, composition and the unique flavours that Passalacqua has been offering for generations.
To conclude with the words of Paola Passalacqua, “what we offer is much more than just a concept. The Passalacqua family – coffee from Naples since 1948 aims to be an authentic voyage, starting from the origins of the product, passing through the phases of its processing, all the way to the present day, landing in a unique and refined environment where to taste an excellent coffee”.
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