Lavazza gives Wimbledon an Italian flavour with three year partnership

The deal will see the Italian coffee brand supplied across 60 service points at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, including 13 public cafés and restaurants, all hospitality areas and the media centre, as well as serving all officials and players. Around 500,000 spectators attend the tournament each year. Giuseppe Lavazza, vice president and strategic marketing director, said: "We decided to become a partner because tennis and Wimbledon's values are so consistent with Lavazza's – among them heritage, tradition, authenticity and an excellent experience. "In Italy, Lavazza is as iconic in terms of coffee as Wimbledon is for tennis in the UK. Coffee is very much part of the social fabric of life and Wimbledon is a major social occasion, as well as a world class tennis event." Michael Desmond, commercial director of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, said: "We are delighted to have entered into this partnership with Lavazza. Wimbledon and Lavazza share the same enthusiasm for high standards and quality of product, as well as a determination to enhance the values for which our two brands are renowned. A UK focused media advertising campaign, as well as in-store competitions with selected outlets, plus sampling for Wimbledon spectators will support the partnership. Lavazza will also communicate its partnership with Wimbledon through a European wide media ad campaign. In addition, the company will launch a global website dedicated to the partnership, as well as several consumer promotions. Luca Piccini, managing director of Lavazza UK, added: "This is a major initiative for us – apart from serving hundreds of thousands of coffees during the tournament, we expect to see a spike in sales across our foodservice outlets. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate Lavazza's strength in the away from home market. Lavazza is known for its support of prestigious international events in the areas of sport, culture and the arts – for example, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, as well as its association with London Fashion Week, which has lasted for 16 seasons.