Catering News Middle East catches up with La Cimbali’s Bruno Pignattelli, export director Middle & Far East why his firm is one of the leading lights when it comes to coffee equipment…
When was your company established? The history of the group began with Giuseppe Cimbali’s entrepreneurial decision, in 1912, to open a small copper-working shop in the centre of Milan. A further fundamental step in the group’s history was the founding of Faema (Fabbrica Apparec-chiature Elettro Meccaniche e Affini), in 1945, in Milan, by Carlo Ernesto Valente. The two brands came together in 1995, when La Cimbali acquired Faema, creating the largest producer of espresso coffee machines in the world, while setting the stage for the creation of the future Gruppo Cimbali group, founded in 2005. Today Gruppo Cimbali includes the brands La Cimbali, Faema, Casadio and Hemerson and is leader in the design and production of professional machines for coffee and milk-based beverages and soluble beverages, and of equipment specifically designed for coffee shops (grinder/dispensers, dishwashers and ice makers).
What are your core products / services for the hospitality sector? Gruppo Cimbali offer to the market the widest range of coffee solutions for the ho.re.ca. (hotel, restaurant and cafe) sector, comprising both traditional and super-automatic machines, grinder-dosers and accessories which combine reliability, high performance, ease of use, design and quality in the cup.
What new products have you launched in 2017? In 2017 we’ve launched three new products:
S20: Designed from the La Cimbali Italian Coffee Competence coupled with know-how in traditional machines, the new born La Cimbali S20 widens the range of our super-automatic machines. The incorporated soluble hot chocolate system allows for a wide and varied range of beverages, making the new LaCimbali S20 the perfect solution for locations with a production of about 200 cups a day. It comes with the guarantee of the highest quality in the cup.
M26: The LaCimbali M26 machine is easy to use, easy to control and easy to maintain. Ergonomic and versatile, the M26 is made from steel and ABS and comes equipped with a reliable LaCimbali thermal system. Together, all of this guarantees impeccable quality in the cup
Elective: This interacts with La Cimbali’s most technologically advanced machines, in order to guarantee impeccable quality in the cup and maximum flexibility. The 4.3” touchscreen display, easy to use and completely customisable, and a compact design featuring elegant shaping comes together with a new Inverter motor to bring about definitive change in the way we view grinding as a concept.
What’s your best-seller? Our best seller is actually Faema E71, a top-of-the-range professional coffee machine. An outstanding blend of iconic design, cutting-edge technology and classical features, it was purpose-built to give baristas full flexibility to express their art.
What makes your company stand out in the market? Gruppo Cimbali is recognised for quality, reliability, modern design of its products and above all for the consistent in the cup quality.
Moreover, the focus on innovation has always been a key element of the philosophy of Gruppo Cimbali, as a manufacturer, with its yearly investments in research and development for innovative and increasingly high-perfoming technological solutions. Product design activities are conducted solely within the group, with its R&D department staffed by about 60 operators. The group’s focus on innovation is also reflected in the 55 currently valid patents, 12 of which have been filed in the last three years.
