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La Pavoni details the progression of the brand, how its range of machinery caters to both domestic and professional baristas and its success in the Australian market.
In 1956, Gio Ponti, Chief Editor of the Italian design and architectural magazine Domus, announced an international design competition for a coffee machine. After an influx of submissions, Domus selected a design by then-unknown Italian artists Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari. They nicknamed the machine ‘the Diamond’ due to its contoured panels offering a diamond-like prism of reflecting angles, which could be composed to obtain different colour combinations and sizes.
La Pavoni originally sold this machine under the commercial name of ‘Modello Concorso’ until the early 1960s when it officially adopted the Diamante name.
“What’s interesting, is that at the same time the competition was running for the design of the Diamante, in 1955 an international design competition was also launched by New South Wales Premier Joseph Cahill for a venue suitable for operas, ballets, and concerts, [with the winning design becoming] what we now know to be the Sydney Opera House,” says La Pavoni National Sales Manager Tom Douch.
The Diamante range has been renewed over time, adopting the latest technology on the market while maintaining its timeless charm. It’s also due to be released in February as a domestic version, with a smaller footprint and the promise of the same high-quality coffee.
The new Diamantina is a semi-professional coffee machine made of copper and brass internal components and finished in golden and chromed geometric elements.
Handmade by La Pavoni, the Diamantina’s dual boiler and electronic temperature regulation ensure constant temperature and unrivalled precision in coffee preparation.
“A machine for domestic use with bar performance, Diamantina offers high performance thanks to temperature control, guaranteeing thermal stability in water supply thanks to the two independent boilers,” says Tom.
“Equipped with a Brewing Pressure Profiling Control system, it allows the barista to vary the water pressure exerted on the coffee during brewing in real time, obtaining an optimal result in the cup with every blend.”
Thermo Proportional-Integral- Derivative (PID) temperature regulation allows the user to program the boiler temperature to personalise flavours in the cup. Tom says this also allows the user to follow specific coffee recipes and make the most of unique coffee varieties.
“This semi-professional coffee machine stands out for its attention to detail and is ideal for true specialty machine enthusiasts. It is the true expression of authentic Italian craftsmanship,” says Tom.
Accompanying the Diamantina in the new La Pavoni range is the Cellini Mini, a semi-professional machine equipped with a stainless-steel single boiler. For a small machine, it holds a water tank capacity of 2.5 litres and can be housed in a polished stainless steel or black finish.
Tom says the small footprint and powerful steam performance makes the Cellini Mini a great option for customers switching to a semi-professional machine for the first time.
“If we look at our customers’ journey through espresso, a lot of them start out using a mid-range machine but find the steam isn’t fast enough, the portafilter isn’t big enough or there’s a temperature issue, before upgrading to a semi- professional,” he says.
“The Cellini Mini is more cost-effective, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space on your benchtop or compromise on quality. It’s definitely worth the spend.”
La Pavoni is also refreshing its Botticelli and Cellini semi-professional range to keep up with market demand and customer needs.
Smeg Australia’s General Manager of the Professional Division, Leon Wolf, says lever machines are also an important part of Italy’s design history, one which has made preparing coffee “a delicious art”.
To continue this tradition, La Pavoni offers domestic lever machines. Some feature a larger professional boiler, capable of brewing more coffees on a single tank, and are equipped with a pressure gauge that displays the boiler pressure at all times. The range includes the Europiccola, Professional, Stradivari and Esperto models.
“The perfect combination of design, tradition and technology, the lever models offer ideal brewing which allows the user to enjoy a delicious coffee with abundant crema from a miniature espresso bar-type machine. Manual brewing incorporates the art of preparing a real espresso in the finest Italian tradition, for a coffee with an intense, full-bodied flavour,” Leon says.
“The La Pavoni Professional model is on display at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, highlighting how these models represent the highest standard of coffee machines for domestic use in the world.”
Leon says this was further validated at the 2023 Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE), where he received extremely positive market feedback from attendees.
“This was only our second time exhibiting at MICE. The first time was great, but in those 12 months after the expo we made a lot of changes to the products and improvements on the quality, and came back in 2023 with a stand that proved that,” he says.
“The industry recognised that we were listening to market feedback and gave us an amazing response. It gave us a really positive outlook on the future of the brand and where we can take it.”
A leading legacy
La Pavoni has been synonymous with Italian coffee since 1905. According to Italian home appliance manufacturer Smeg Australia, which acquired the brand in 2019, it has a long history of passion and tradition which has made its espresso coffee machines famous around the world.
“La Pavoni, one of the original brands in the coffee world, gave life to the first espresso machine for bars, the ‘Ideale’, and created one of the world’s most famous lever machines. We’re eager to educate the Australian market on La Pavoni’s heritage and the authenticity of a handmade Italian coffee machine,” says Leon.
“This acquisition also allows us to complete our category offering in our professional division. With our professional ovens, dishwashers, cooktops, and now coffee machines, we can supply a café with all the equipment they need to open their doors and become a successful establishment.”
La Pavoni’s range of commercial coffee machines encompasses three distinct series: Geniale, Desiderio and Diamante, each available in a variety of colours, featuring two- and three-group models.
The Geniale is a collective of workhorse machines capable of handling high output volumes for a diverse range of businesses and industries. The Desiderio elevates the coffee machine experience by incorporating an LCD display that offers real-time machine feedback, customisable settings, and brewing calibrations. Diamante machines are available in lever-operated and programmable push-controlled brewing options.
“Each series within the professional coffee machine line-up is a testament to [La Pavoni’s] commitment to innovation, quality, and value. From the performance Geniale, the technical Desiderio, and the avant-garde Diamante series, each machine reflects their dedication to providing coffee enthusiasts, businesses, and the industry with the ultimate coffee machine,” Leon says.
He adds that La Pavoni also completes Smeg Australia’s domestic collection, offering a range of semi-professional and lever machines.
Leon says he leans on the brand’s heritage to elevate its market value and will focus on increasing brand awareness in 2024.
“Having 118 years’ experience in manufacturing espresso machines is not something many brands can attest to,” he says. “We’re very aware of how sacred La Pavoni’s history is, and we want to appreciate and embrace that in each machine we sell.
“I have a great team that embodies the same passion and enthusiasm to help grow the brand.”
For more information, visit au.lapavoni.com
This article appears in the February 2024 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
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