Another One! Lavazza Acquires Well-Known Coffee Brand to Expand Market

According to reports from American investment research institutions, Lavazza recently announced a proposal to acquire the French coffee retailer MaxiCoffee on attractive terms, though no financial details were disclosed. The move is understood to strengthen Lavazza's position in France and expand its presence in the French market and the e-commerce sector.

Lavazza: An Italian Coffee Heritage

Lavazza is a century-old premium Italian coffee brand, born in 1895 in Turin and founded by Luigi Lavazza. It now has a history of more than 120 years. Across that century it has carried the rich colors of Italian tradition and is sold in over 80 countries worldwide, holding 45% of the global market. At Lavazza you can enjoy mellow, full-bodied Italian coffee, and also Italian light meals, gelato, and fruit juices.

In 2020, Lavazza Group and Yum China formed a joint venture to operate Lavazza cafés in China. The first flagship store outside Italy then opened in Shanghai, using large areas of blue, white, and gold, accented with Italian elements such as marble, brass, and glass mirrors — luxurious and premium, yet restrained.

Visiting a Lavazza store is meant to be more than drinking coffee; it is an Italian-style artistic space. With high-quality coffee, inventive food, and an immersive Italian atmosphere, the cafés quickly won over professionals and consumers alike. In just over two years in China it has opened 78 stores, with a goal of 1,000 stores in the country by 2025.

MaxiCoffee: France's E-commerce Coffee Leader

Founded in 2007, MaxiCoffee employs roughly 1,500 people and is a French coffee brand focused mainly on online sales. It is France's number one online retailer of coffee beans and equipment, serving customers through an e-commerce platform featuring more than 350 brands and over 8,000 products. The company also runs 60 sales points across France, offering equipment such as manual and fully automatic Italian coffee machines, pour-over kettles, and moka pots. Its coffee range includes Italian blend beans, specialty pour-over beans, flavored beans, and green beans for home roasting.

Strategic Details of the Acquisition

Lavazza Group's proposal is to acquire 100% of MaxiCoffee's equity, aiming to serve customers better through the e-commerce platform and strengthen its influence in the online segment. MaxiCoffee states on its website: "We chose Lavazza because it has over 120 years of experience and is an innovative brand in the coffee industry. Globally, Lavazza is synonymous with the true Italian espresso concept and is currently the market leader in product quality."

Lavazza CEO Antonio Baravalle said in a statement: "This acquisition of MaxiCoffee is part of our international development strategy. It will maintain its image as a multi-brand e-commerce platform and remain independent. Our involvement will not change a successful business model in any way. On the contrary, it will promote its growth by activating our international development plan."

Completion and Lavazza's Acquisition History

After completion, MaxiCoffee's capital will be held jointly by its founder Christophe Brancato, the Italian private equity group 21 Invest, and other minority shareholders.

The acquisition trail is not new. As early as 2015, Lavazza began buying up brands, acquiring the French coffee brand Carte Noire for 800 million euros. In recent years it has accelerated, successively acquiring Mars Drinks' coffee business, France's Carte Noire and ESP, Denmark's Merrild, Canada's Kicking Horse Coffee, and Australia's Blue Pod Coffee, expanding rapidly around the world.

Whether it is deepening market penetration or seeking new sources of profit, Lavazza still faces continuous challenges in the second half of the race on this competitive coffee track.

Image source: Internet

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