Lavazza Group has acquired Blue Pod Coffee, an Australian company specialising in the distribution of Lavazza espresso systems.
For over 10 years, Blue Pod has been Lavazza Group’s exclusive distributor in Australia in the office coffee service (OCS) sector, offering capsule devices and machines that satisfy the specific needs of workplace coffee areas.
The Blue Pod Coffee Company, with its Head Office in Melbourne, is a privately owned Australian company that was born from the desire to provide easy, delicious espresso. Founded in 2005, Blue Pod Coffee Company has grown and expanded over the past 10 years into one of the largest workplace coffee suppliers in Australia.
Blue Pod’s staff have all been retained and are said to be looking forward to the next exciting chapter with in the Lavazza Group.
Blue Pod Coffee Company is the sole distributor of Lavazza Blue, Lavazza Espresso Point and Lavazza Espresso Point Maxi coffee capsules in Australia.
In a press statement released from Turin, Italy on 29 June, Lavazza said the operation is perfectly aligned with the Group’s international expansion strategy and confirms the increasing importance of Australia as key market in home and out-of-home coffee market segments.
Lavazza has had a presence in Australia for more than 30 years. Since 2015, the Lavazza Group has been operating at local level through associated company Lavazza Australia, based in Melbourne. With this 100 per cent acquisition of Blue Pod Coffee Company, Lavazza Group CEO Antonio Baravelle says it further consolidates Lavazza’s direct presence in the country.
“This operation pursues Group expansion at international level, so continuing to drive solid growth and value creation. The acquisition of Blue Pod is particularly significant because it gives us a direct presence across all coffee consumption occasions in Australia too,” says Antonio Baravalle.
Lavazza, in line with the recent acquisitions of Carte Noire and ESP in France, Merrild in Denmark, Kicking Horse Coffee in Canada and Nims in Italia, intends to promote the value of Blue Pod, sharing expertise and values with the company, while continuing to maintain its independence and autonomy.
In this sense, and with a view to further strengthen governance at the Australian company, Silvio Zaccareo, formerly APAC Business Unit Director and Lavazza Australia Managing Director, has been appointed Sole Director of Blue Pod.
“The acquisition of Blue Pod demonstrates the strategic importance of Australia, which is one of the key countries identified for the Group’s international expansion and development. This operation represents a significant opportunity for Lavazza to grow in the country, in the work place coffee segment too, leveraging the current expansion of the Australian market together with the local population’s strong awareness of quality coffee,” says Silvio Zaccareo, Blue Pod Sole Director.
For more information, visit www.lavazza.com.au
