Papa Bean Ernesto Illy dead

Dr Ernesto Illy, popularly nicknamed 'Papa Bean' and 'Espresso Missionary' has died in Trieste, Italy. The honorary chairman of the family-run company illycafe passed away on February 3 at 82.

Illy was one of the staunchest supporters of the coffee community which included growers, traders and bodies like International Coffee Organisation (ICO).

He was chairman of ICO's Promotion Committee since 2002 till his death and was instrumental in developing initiatives like the Positively Coffee Programme and Health Care Professionals Coffee Education Programme and contributed his technical expertise to developing many projects to boost coffee consumption globally.

Illy's association with India had been long and was growing with every passing year. He and his son in the recent past had taken a keen interest in sourcing more coffees from India and developing it as a major contributor to the various coffee blends illycafe sold globally.

Also recently, the Coffee Board of India had roped in illycaffe to boost and build a sustainable coffee culture in India.

"We plan to be part of the Coffee Board of India's domestic coffee consumption drive to be initiated shortly," an illycafe official said at the time of signing up with Coffee Board last year.

"We are strong in the supply chain, from coffee producers (growers) to professionals (cafe and hotel owners) and then to consumers. Hence, the Coffee Board of India has agreed to be part of the domestic campaign," he added.

To develop the market for gourmet coffee, the company set up Coffee University, a centre of excellence, with an extension centre in India.

The objective of the university is to facilitate experts to work directly with the Indian coffee grower community to enable improvement in methods of harvesting, curing, processing and packaging. The university also organises courses for the food and beverage industry, professional baristi, coffee shops and restaurant managers and in future, consumers.

Condoling this death, ICO Executive Director Nester Osario said, "His energy, enthusiasm, knowledge and tireless commitment to promoting coffee quality inspired all who knew him."

Chairman Coffee Board G V Krishna Rau said, "He is considered as the authority on coffee science and the most learned and humble person I have ever come across. He was with us during India International Coffee Festival in February 2007.

He is the spirit behind ASIC conferences wherein all coffee scientists come together every year to share the latest research on coffee. In Illy's demise we lost a friend of Indian Coffee Industry."