MILAN – Rocket Espresso, an Italian, Milan based espresso machine producer, showed its new range of machines in Milan at the recent HOST show. A smaller manufacturer, who’s portfolio consists of both premium domestic and commercial espresso machines, built in the tradition of Fatto a Mano showed an extensive and impressive range of machines.
The history behind this interesting company does not follow the traditional path of an Italian business. Rather, the company was originally purchased from the financially troubled Italian brand ECM in 2007 by two New Zealanders, Andrew Meo and Jeff Kennedy, who were responsible for the distribution of the ECM brand in New Zealand prior to taking control of the failing company.
The two New Zealanders were so impressed by the product they were distributing, that, when they heard the company was in difficulty, they immediately set about trying to acquire the ECM brand before it failed, then being joined by Italian Daniele Berenbruch.
The company was rebranded Rocket Espresso, and initially set about producing exquisite domestic espresso machines of an extremely high standard. The machines were capable of producing the very best espresso, normally only found in the best bars and cafes, but through Rocket Espresso, excellent espresso was now enjoyed in private households throughout the world.
It was a logical progression that the company then moved into producing commercial or professional machines, adopting the same design and build ethos of, design, performance and build quality.
The brand is now well represented throughout the world, through a mixture of both distribution partners and resellers depending on which best business model fits the brands aspirations in a particular country. An emphasis is placed on dealer knowledge of the brand, and an after sales service programme which ensures a very strong customer service programme.
An intensive development programme from the brand ensures industry leading technologies are employed; Fully saturated multi boiler machines in the R 9V / R 9 and dual boiler saturated group machines in the Doppia range, alongside more traditional machines such as the RE Timer and BOXER range, that despite being considered by Rocket Espresso as machine models in a highly price sensitive area of the market, are built with the same care and attention, using only the highest level of components available to the industry.
The premium domestic machine range has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, the very popular Appartamento range offering a stylish and effective entry into premium household espresso through to the acclaimed R NINE ONE fully saturated group, pressure profiling machine, that many have claimed as being the best domestic machine available in the market today.
Sotto Banco, an extremely stylish under counter machine, featuring sleek raised groups extending from the counter, with both the service boiler and auxiliary equipment located under the counter, beside a generous cup warmer draw, completed the Rocket Espresso offering at HOST where the presentation the brand made for very interesting viewing from the rather non traditional Italian machine producer with a different and refreshing philosophy to that of many machine producers.
