Simonelli Group is mourning the late Gianni Cassatini, a great friend, and a generous supporter of the international barista community.
“Gianni has been for many years a reference point, a certainty, and an important part of our family. With his extraordinary intelligence and keenness, he was always able to inspire us,” Simonelli Group has said in a statement.
Born in Sicily in 1937, Gianni moved to Vancouver, Canada where he lived for more than 40 years. Here, he contributed to the spreading of coffee culture in North America, while travelling worldwide and consolidating a strong foundation along the entire supply chain. Coffee was his life. He used to love saying “Coffee was in his DNA”.
Gianni was renowned for wearing his signature Borsalino hat. In a recent interview he declared that he loved this type of hat because it was an Italian icon and matched his personality.
For 12 years, Gianni Cassatini worked and was engaged with the World Barista Championship, coffee festivals, and exhibitions. He was always the centre of attention and flawlessly engaged the operators of the industry. He had a special connection with the many baristas and competitors whom he met and considered real friends.
“We [have] lost a remarkable human,” says Simonelli Group President Nando Ottavi , “who with his extreme joyfulness and generosity was always ready to help those in need”.
“It is also thanks to his collaboration that we were able to start, many years ago, our mission of coffee ambassadors around the world. He continued bringing forth this mission along with us during the internationalisation of the two brands Nuova Simonelli and Victoria Arduino.”
Nevertheless his age, he was the youngest and most humorous of the team, according to Marco Feliziani, Simonellio Group CEO. “He was the last person to go to sleep but the first person to be in the office. He leaves his inheritance of great coffee passion, not only as a product but also as a community.”
Goodbye, Gianni.
“It is terrible to have lost you, but it’s been a stroke of great luck to have met you,” Simonelli Group says.
