Dr Ernesto Illy 1925 - 2008

4th February 2008

It is with great regret that we have to report the death on February 3 of Dr Ernesto Illy, one of the coffee world’s most respected scientists, inventors and businessmen. He was 82.

Dr Illy, who for many years headed his family firm, the Trieste roaster Illycaffè, was a research chemist and educator as well as being a coffee entrepreneur.

After receiving a chemistry degree from the University of Bologna in 1947, Dr Illy took over the family business from his father, Francesco, the founder of Illycaffè, in 1956. He incorporated a research centre into the facility, and this became one of the top sources of information on coffee science and the chemistry of espresso.

Dr Illy was Chairman of Illycaffè from 1963 to 2004, and Honorary Chairman since that time, but it was in the field of science that he was perhaps best known, as much of his research benefited the entire coffee industry.

He founded Association Scientifique Internationale du Café, the first major coffee science body and served as its senior vice president, and was Chairman of PEC (Physiological Effects of Coffee), which investigates coffee and health issues. Right up until his death, he actively headed the International Coffee Organization’s Positively Coffee programme, and he also chaired the ICO’s Promotion Committee.

Dr Illy was also the recipient of many honours, including the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Lifetime Achievement award in 1997, and, from his own government, the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro (Knight of Industry), granted by the Italian president in 1994.

Dr Illy’s presentations at the most important industry events were well known and much appreciated, and he was a keynote speaker at the SCAE’s first international gathering, at Monte Carlo in 2000.