Although a lack of complete market information makes tracking the pure coffee segment difficult, it is clear that this area of the general beverage market has exhibited extraordinary growth over the past five to ten years. A survey recently undertaken by market analysts BIS Shrapnel, indicated that the simple cappuccino has become Australia’s third most quaffed beverage, behind milk and carbonated drinks. Historically a country preoccupied with tea and instant coffees, Australia has now embraced espresso style coffees with a passion, to a point where cafes line the streets and shopping malls of all major centres. Even more surprising perhaps is the fact that sales of espresso coffee through supermarket channels are now worth around $58 million, and is consistently growing faster than the sizeable instant coffee market. The main factors limiting growth in the home consumption area continue to be the need for further equipment, in the form of plungers, dripolators and espresso machines.
	Australia’s No. 1 pure coffee company, Vittoria, has pioneered the Italian style espresso coffee into the Australian market over the past 40 years. Vittoria’s coffee credentials are impeccable. Crafted by experts where expertise is a family tradition and steeped in its Italian heritage, Vittoria is the leading coffee brand sold in supermarkets, coffee lounges and restaurants. Along with the growing cafe society, Vittoria is at the forefront of a massive consumer education campaign, teaching coffee drinkers to appreciate the quality and taste of pure coffee. This knowledge is setting new standards in coffee served throughout Australia. Vittoria is proud of its leadership in the development of Australian coffee culture. Although it is not entirely unexpected, since the company pioneered taking an Italian style espresso coffee blend to consumers through supermarkets in 1983. At that time critics claimed it was not a viable proposition to introduce the cosmopolitan appreciation of pure coffee to mainstream Australia. Vittoria rejected this criticism and championed the establishment of the cafe scene, which in many instances has replaced the ‘pub’ as a local meeting place. The company’s coffee production plant in Ryde, New South Wales roasts more than 50% of the total 2.5 million kilograms of pure coffee consumed by the Australian retail market annually. The plant has one of the most modern roasting and vacuum packaging plants in Australia. The Group, with one of the largest sales forces in the country, is set to achieve retail sales in excess of $100 million in the next year.
	The Cantarella Group (manufacturers and marketers of Vittoria Coffee) was established in 1947, when brothers Orazio and Carmelo opened a small retail outlet selling imported Italian foodstuffs in the heart of Sydney’s major produce market. During these early post war years millions of Europeans were migrating to Australia in search of a new life. As the migrant population continued to swell, so did the demand for those products that were so much part of their European lifestyle. Indeed, within a couple of years, the brothers found that their modest retail outlet was no longer big enough to satisfy both the demands of their customers and a growing number of small business clients. The next stage in the development of the Cantarella group had begun. In 1956 after becoming frustrated by the lack of quality Italian Espresso coffee, they began roasting small amounts of coffee at their premises in Sydney’s Haymarket, initially supplying the small Sydney cafe set. Eventually these premises became too small for the burgeoning business and a move to Leichhardt in 1964 was followed by a move of the company’s own coffee roasting facility from Goulburn Street in the city to suburban Ryde in 1978. Headquartered today at Sydney’s Silverwater, the company has branches in all States. Today, driven by a second generation of family members, the brand Vittoria Coffee is available in supermarkets and coffee houses Australia wide. It remains one of the few major Australian brands privately owned and controlled without any outside interests. Cantarella have also been at the forefront of coffee crop development in Australia, fostering major plantations in far north of Queensland. The quality of Australian grown Arabica coffee beans has increased dramatically in standard over the past 15 years to a point where today they are comparable to the world standard.
	The secret of Cantarella’s success with Vittoria Coffee is simple - a unique combination of family tradition and expertise with today’s roasting technology and product quality control. In fact that same espresso coffee produced and sold in the 1950s has today become Australia’s largest selling Italian style espresso coffee. Vittoria coffee uses only 100% Arabica beans sourced from the world’s best coffee producers. These raw beans are then combined to create a number of Vittoria blends. It is these blends that have been developed from over 40 years of experience in a market place that has seen continual consumer change. In recent times, driven by consumer demand, Vittoria has also introduced a number of new blends, including the Australian Breakfast Blend, a coffee that uses predominantly Arabica beans grown here in Australia. All Vittoria coffees are vacuum packed to retain freshness with a wide range of sizes and blends available to suit a wide range of coffee tastes.
	Vittoria introduced its unique coffee college to the industry in 1996 and, quite simply, there is nothing in Australia to match it. The college combines tradition, passion for great coffee and a touch of a Tuscan garden, right in the heart of Ryde in Sydney. It is a place where experts train today’s cafe professionals. Various courses take Vittoria trade customers through every facet of the coffee process ... history, growing harvesting, roasting, cupping, equipment, extraction, steaming, grinding, maintenance and preparation, everything from tree to cup. The company has also introduced line extensions such as drinking chocolate - Chocochino, a Cappuccino Creamer for those wishing to make cappuccino at home and a range of quality coffee gift lines, including a special limited edition collection series of espresso coffee cups.
	The company invests heavily in the marketing of Vittoria through national television, radio and magazine advertising campaigns. It is also actively engaged in the sponsorship of major cultural and sporting events, such as the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. The Vittoria philosophy is committed to strategic marketing and above the line media, store level support and extensive ongoing public relations with its stake holders. Market Research is also of vital interest to the company, with particular importance being placed on the sourcing of supermarket and scanning data. The data is integral to the development and implementation of effective marketing strategies.
	Innovative in it’s marketing approach, up to date with consumer trends and technologically advanced with its computerised warehouse and national distribution network, the Cantarella group has carved a unique position for itself in the Australian market. The success of Vittoria can be explained by four fundamental core values. Family Tradition - Many of the ideals of the founding brothers are today evident in Vittoria Coffee. Changes that were made were made carefully and after much consideration. Quality Italian Style Coffee - This is the essence of Vittoria Coffee. Freshness - Coffee tastes best when it’s fresh, hence the original decision to roast the coffee here rather than importing it already roasted. Expertise - Making great coffee is a mixture of man and machine. Nothing can replace knowledge and expertise.

VITTORIA
		All Vittoria blends use 100% Arabica beans. These are ideal for espresso style coffees, as they are typically lower in caffeine and milder in taste.
		Arabica coffee is normally grown in mountainous areas 800 - 2000 metres above sea level.
		Espresso is a technique which uses water forced under pressure through the coffee dose by an espresso machine.
		Espresso, more than any other method, releases essential flavours and oils from the ground coffee, giving it that unmistakable taste and aroma we have come to love.
		To make the perfect espresso requires a dose of ground coffee of around 7 grams.
		The perfect dose represents approximately 50 - 55 beans, depending on the Vittoria blend you are using.
		In the roasting process, Vittoria conducts seven separate checks on colour, to ensure every roast is consistent in strength and colour.
		Vittoria currently roasts nearly 14 billion coffee beans a year, but who’s counting...