Nov 19, 2015, 9:40 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United Airlines to Bring Customers Coffee's 'Gold Standard' with illy Premium Blend
CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines and illycaffe are creating a new alliance that will offer the Italian company's delicious premium blend to delight customers on board and in United Club locations worldwide.
Beginning next month, United will offer illy's signature scuro dark roast and the coffee company's espresso in United Club locations at the airline's mainland U.S. hubs. Other lounge locations will offer illy in 2016, with the scuro dark roast coming to flights worldwide next summer.
Not Just a Cup of Coffee
Chosen after extensive testing with United customers and employees – including in-flight taste tests – illy reflects the airline's global network as well as United's commitment to creating an elevated, distinctive premium experience for its customers.
Based in Trieste, Italy, with more than 80 years of history in the coffee industry, illy's distinct flavor comes from a unique blend of the top one percent of Arabica beans, purchased directly from the best growers in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa.
Noted for its strong commitment to sustainability, illy's internationally certified supply chain includes farmers who earn above-market prices in exchange for meeting quality standards – enabling the company to offer world-class blends.
A recent Wine Spectator magazine article praised the coffee, saying it "has become a gold standard in high-end restaurants and five-star hotels around the world."
"Our collaboration with illy is helping to make the world feel a bit smaller and making flying that much more special, simply by way of a perfect cup of coffee," said Jimmy Samartzis, United's vice president of food services and United Clubs. "By serving the world's most well-known premium coffee in our clubs and on board, we are communicating an experience to our customers and our employees with the quality and care that comes with every cup."
"It's truly an honor for illy to be selected as the worldwide coffee partner for United Airlines. The process and final decision to choose illy demonstrates United's deep commitment to providing its customers the highest quality products and experiences," said Andrea Illy, Chairman and CEO of illycaffe s.p.a. "Our new relationship with United Airlines is also a testament to our passion for the best and recognition that the illy brand is the world's reference for coffee culture and excellence."
Illy will be complimentary on every flight and when offered in United's lounges.
CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines and illycaffe are creating a new alliance that will offer the Italian company's delicious premium blend to delight customers on board and in United Club locations worldwide.
Beginning next month, United will offer illy's signature scuro dark roast and the coffee company's espresso in United Club locations at the airline's mainland U.S. hubs. Other lounge locations will offer illy in 2016, with the scuro dark roast coming to flights worldwide next summer.
Not Just a Cup of Coffee
Chosen after extensive testing with United customers and employees – including in-flight taste tests – illy reflects the airline's global network as well as United's commitment to creating an elevated, distinctive premium experience for its customers.
Based in Trieste, Italy, with more than 80 years of history in the coffee industry, illy's distinct flavor comes from a unique blend of the top one percent of Arabica beans, purchased directly from the best growers in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa.
Noted for its strong commitment to sustainability, illy's internationally certified supply chain includes farmers who earn above-market prices in exchange for meeting quality standards – enabling the company to offer world-class blends.
A recent Wine Spectator magazine article praised the coffee, saying it "has become a gold standard in high-end restaurants and five-star hotels around the world."
"Our collaboration with illy is helping to make the world feel a bit smaller and making flying that much more special, simply by way of a perfect cup of coffee," said Jimmy Samartzis, United's vice president of food services and United Clubs. "By serving the world's most well-known premium coffee in our clubs and on board, we are communicating an experience to our customers and our employees with the quality and care that comes with every cup."
"It's truly an honor for illy to be selected as the worldwide coffee partner for United Airlines. The process and final decision to choose illy demonstrates United's deep commitment to providing its customers the highest quality products and experiences," said Andrea Illy, Chairman and CEO of illycaffe s.p.a. "Our new relationship with United Airlines is also a testament to our passion for the best and recognition that the illy brand is the world's reference for coffee culture and excellence."
Illy will be complimentary on every flight and when offered in United's lounges.
UA serving illy’s world-class coffee
Nov 20, 2015 | 7:21 am
#91
Join Date: Feb 2006
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As a tea drinker this change does not affect me, but I do think it shows promise that the new leadership is willing to spend ten cents to make a dollar which is a good thing in my book.
Nov 20, 2015 | 7:31 am
#93
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as a functioning caffeine and coffee addict, i'm pleased about this.
haha although in jest, i can't help but think of a bit from eddie murphy's raw about our reaction to things with UA these days.
still though, glad to see illy's coming on board, i like that brand.
haha although in jest, i can't help but think of a bit from eddie murphy's raw about our reaction to things with UA these days.
If you're starving and somebody throw you a cracker, you gonna be like this:
"Goddamn, that's the best cracker I ever ate in my life! That ain't no regular cracker, was it? What was that, a Saltine? That was delicious. That wasn't no Saltine. That was... That was a Ritz. That wasn't a Ritz? That was the best cracker I ever ate in my life. Can I have another one, please? Please, one more."
"Goddamn, that's the best cracker I ever ate in my life! That ain't no regular cracker, was it? What was that, a Saltine? That was delicious. That wasn't no Saltine. That was... That was a Ritz. That wasn't a Ritz? That was the best cracker I ever ate in my life. Can I have another one, please? Please, one more."
still though, glad to see illy's coming on board, i like that brand.
Nov 20, 2015 | 8:23 am
#95
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Not sure if the machines have been taken off the aircraft, but they have been "deactivated" and the espresso pods are no longer provisioned. sCO 777s, 767-400ERs, 787s and sUA 76E have the machines.
Nov 20, 2015 | 9:49 am
#97
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Nov 20, 2015 | 9:49 am
#98
Join Date: May 2001
Location: HNL
Posts: 1,076
I am surprised a search for 'decaf' in this thread returns no results. I have been wondering if an improvement in coffee might mean UA will start brewing decaf again, instead of the awful instant packs. That would be a welcome change on my HNL-??? late-night flights.
Nov 20, 2015 | 5:17 pm
#100
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Having said that, as someone that roasts his own coffee then takes his brew up on flights, I can testify the subtle flavors that make light roasts shine on the ground also don't hold up well at altitude because of our physiology changes at altitude. If United used a lighter roast, I'm sure that many would complain that it is bland and watery.
This is a step in the right direction ... I hope they eventually bring back the espresso machines as well.
Nov 20, 2015 | 7:08 pm
#101
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Although I agree with you, Americans vastly prefer dark roasts over light roasts. Mass-market coffee brands have been using dark roasts to mask cheap beans and facilitate consistency over quality (since dark roasting tends to eliminate any personality of the beans themselves).
Having said that, as someone that roasts his own coffee then takes his brew up on flights, I can testify the subtle flavors that make light roasts shine on the ground also don't hold up well at altitude because of our physiology changes at altitude. If United used a lighter roast, I'm sure that many would complain that it is bland and watery.
This is a step in the right direction ... I hope they eventually bring back the espresso machines as well.
Having said that, as someone that roasts his own coffee then takes his brew up on flights, I can testify the subtle flavors that make light roasts shine on the ground also don't hold up well at altitude because of our physiology changes at altitude. If United used a lighter roast, I'm sure that many would complain that it is bland and watery.
This is a step in the right direction ... I hope they eventually bring back the espresso machines as well.
Nov 20, 2015 | 7:15 pm
#102
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I doubt it. Not enough demand for decaf. I do the decaf when appropriate, but it gets some Bailey's, which helps immensely.
Nov 20, 2015 | 7:20 pm
#103
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Me being a huge coffee snob, the only time I drink coffee on board an airplane is any flight earlier than 7 am departure, but since UA went with FreshBrew, that first time was the last time. It was ghastly.
I can get on board with illy. This is a change I like.
I was skeptical of Oscar but credit where credit is due! ^
Pretty sure that inventory is more than just one year and it's going to take more than that to get rid of it all imo
I can get on board with illy. This is a change I like.
I was skeptical of Oscar but credit where credit is due! ^
Nov 20, 2015 | 9:01 pm
#104
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Nov 20, 2015 | 10:08 pm
#105
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Maybe the current top management sees the folly of treating passengers as self-loading cargo who should feel privileged to even set foot on a UA aircraft, and they're hoping the new coffee will actually drive some small amount of business (or at least not drive away business like the swill at times did).