Coffee Conscious
Since their inception in 1927, La Marzocco has always been a company who looks to the future; what they can do to better their products, and how they can innovate and be leaders in sustainable practices. In an age of increasing awareness surrounding climate change and corporate responsibility, La Marzocco is conscious that sustainability has to be present in all business decisions; from working with coffee plantations, to the production of our espresso machines through to supporting La Marzocco users who themselves focus on sustainable practices.
“La Marzocco prides itself on a strong company culture which, in being mindful of and anchored to its heritage, encourages the pursuit of quality, excellence and innovation through a trusting family atmosphere,” says Mary Diamond, manager of La Marzocco’s sustainability efforts. One of the companies’ first sustainable commitments was to support a Tanzanian farm in 2007. La Marzocco invested in the Songwa Estates coffee farm in southwest Tanzania and established a non-profit endeavour, which is both educational and socially driven in nature. Its purpose is to educate staff, customers and those who work in the Tanzanian coffee sector on the intricacies involved in growing, harvesting and processing green coffee, whilst
providing support to the local community. The project has helped to build two classrooms and sanitation facilities at the Muvwa Primary School, which educates more than 300 students. In 2017, through La Marzocco’s Hands for Songwa initiative, two wells with platforms and pumps were also built, finally providing the local community with much needed clean water.
Back home, La Marzocco installed solar panels at their Florence headquarters in 2011 and currently achieve approximately 85% of their daily energy via solar, with plans in place to increase this to 100%. The goal is to have every La Marzocco office worldwide operating on solar power. All of the machines are handmade in Florence, using solar energy, and every machine boiler is wrapped in insulation to increase energy savings by 20 per cent. The Eco mode on La Marzocco’s Linea PB model allows the machine to enter a stand-by mode to improve energy efficiency, with plans
to include this feature on future models. Their Strada model allows for individual brew groups to be turned off for greater energy savings during slower work periods.
Where possible, sustainable materials, components and packaging are used so that machines and packaging can be recycled according to European legislation. La Marzocco also adheres to an extensive waste tracking system for materials not subject to recycling. Sustainable transportation methods are also sort, with the company using the electric Renault Twizy car for local errands, powered via a recently installed electric charging station at its Florence headquarters.
Guido Bernardinelli, La Marzocco CEO, says the company’s increased sustainable practices benefit the local community and wider environment. “In observing our society and the variations of the environment that have been occurring over the years, we felt the burning desire to dissent and to set an example for a better life in our small world,” he says. “As we continue to make wise decisions and to invest with this focus in mind, we sincerely hope to inspire other companies to follow our vision.” DH
Words by Dan Harvey
Image Credits by Tyler Nix
