SHANGHAI, China — Yum China Holdings, Inc. and the Lavazza Group welcomed Luca Ferrari, Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China, to the Lavazza Flagship Store in Shanghai on March 8. During the visit, Ambassador Ferrari tasted Lavazza’s premium coffee and classic and creative menu options, while taking time to appreciate the store’s unique and iconic Italian style setting.
Yum China and the Lavazza Group, the world-renowned family-owned Italian coffee company, formed a joint venture in 2020 to explore and develop the Lavazza coffee shop concept in China. A new Lavazza Flagship Store in Shanghai, the first in Asia, opened its doors to customers in early 2020. Encouraged by overwhelmingly positive consumer feedback, four additional Lavazza stores have since opened in Shanghai.
“We were delighted to welcome Ambassador Ferrari to the Lavazza Flagship Store in Shanghai. Partnering with Lavazza Group, we are excited to have introduced this iconic Italian brand to China. Lavazza offers customers an authentic Italian coffee experience and a taste of Italian culture,” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. “With the right mix of tradition, innovation and localization, we are well positioned to quickly respond to evolving consumer needs and capture the significant coffee opportunity in China.”
“Lavazza has been always able to innovate throughout its decades-long activity. Innovation, style and delicate taste are at the very core of Lavazza’s mission. With the opening of this new flagship store in Shanghai, the joint venture of Lavazza and Yum China proves again to be a successful story in the commercial relations between Italian and Chinese companies. With its unique mix of innovation, vanguard and style, Shanghai is a key door for Italian high-quality products. Hence, I am happy to see a new place here in this marvelous city to enjoy an authentic taste of Italy,” said Luca Ferrari, Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China.
With a history of over 125 years, Lavazza has built on its Italian heritage and commitment to quality and innovation, establishing itself as an industry pioneer that is loved by coffee drinkers around the world. In recent years, the Lavazza Group has stepped up the process of international development aimed at tapping into new markets and meeting rising customer demand for premium coffee.
In 2021, Yum China and the Lavazza Group plan to accelerate additional Lavazza store openings in China and test different store formats, ranging from mini to flagship stores. Yum China’s scale and in-depth local market knowledge, combined with Lavazza’s coffee credentials and quality-offering, creates a strong platform for the Lavazza coffee shop concept to succeed in China.
