In a company that has been in business as a market leader for more than a century, Cimbali Group Managing Director Enrico Bracesco unveils a complete brand overhaul and a commitment to connectivity software.
Change can be challenging, especially when it’s tied to something so renowned and iconic, such as a company’s name and logo. But when it’s done to represent the stature of evolution and new position in the market without losing sight of its commitment to product and service innovation, then it’s the right decision, says Cimbali Group (formerly known as Gruppo Cimbali) Managing Director Enrico Bracesco.
“The company now adopts a new vision in which people come first and sustainability is the driver of a segment-based business model focused on providing its customers with an integrated service in which collaboration, profitable development, diversity, and inclusiveness are the keys to future growth,” Bracesco says.
Since 1912, Cimbali Group has been a leader in the design and production of professional espresso machines and coffee shop equipment. It operates across four production plants in Italy and one in the United States, employing more than 900 people. Bracesco predicts this number will increase to 1000 employees within the next two years.
“Cimbali Group embraces the perfect mix of product, technology, tradition and history, and is a classic example of a company that dives into the future with innovation meanwhile staying connected to its tradition and roots,” he says.
Cimbali Group’s new vision prioritises customer needs. It lays the guidelines for a more integrated business approach in which the focus of the product range is not just the espresso machine but the value-added services a professional or coffee lover acquires when choosing a Cimbali Group brand product.
“The company has evolved significantly over the last 110 years. We are now working on shifting the paradigm from simply selling coffee products to also selling services and connectivity. These are what we call solutions,” says Bracesco.
This evolution is reflected in the company’s redesigned logo, a simple, minimalist, modern monogram. Two new company colours – dark teal and copper orange – symbolise the hot and cold mechanics of the business.
Bracesco says the corporate rebrand of Cimbali Group encapsulates the essence of an evolving company and defines a stand-alone visual identity that is distinctive to its commercial brands LaCimbali, Faema, Slayer, Keber, and Casadio.
“Cimbali Group continues to prioritise innovation. In 2023, over 5 per cent of our turnover was invested in research and development into new cutting-edge technologies, the digitisation of processes and services and sustainability,” he says.
As such, Cimbali Group has embarked on a process of digitising its services to guarantee that professionals, and therefore end customers, receive high-quality performance and maximum customisation according to specific market demands.
Working with remote control software company TeamViewer, Cimbali Group has created the Global Remote Service Program, a connectivity software that makes it possible to interact remotely with all its fully automatic machines to optimise after-sales service and customer experience.
“Thanks to TeamViewer’s secure connectivity solution, technicians from Cimbali Group or one of our distributors can remotely access clients’ machines to quickly solve problems, and thereby reduce machine downtime, and minimise revenue loss for the customer,” says Bracesco.
Telemetry solutions and data communication, which is sent by the machine to a web platform, can be used for statistical consumption analysis of, for example, the number of drinks dispensed, both in total, and per selection.
“The technology also means that the machine can be monitored constantly, as it provides a real-time snapshot of all the machine’s parts and communicates any errors or malfunctions directly to the technician,” Bracesco says.
With an approach focused on transparency and responsibility, Cimbali Group has developed its own sustainability policies, which are not limited to production processes but take a broader view of the entire sector.
“We want to convey our commitment to people, products and the environment through our coffee machines, which come into contact with millions of consumers around the world every day,” says Bracesco.
“Cimbali Group is currently preparing its third Sustainability Report in which we illustrate, to date, the challenges we have faced, the actions we have taken and the results we have achieved. This is part of a dynamic process of change which has seen us take another step forward, broadening our vision of the future and redefining our market position more effectively.”
Bracesco says Cimbali Group came across a study published by the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Wädenswill) that raises concerns for the future of the coffee industry. According to the research, by 2050, almost 90 per cent of the land dedicated to coffee cultivation will no longer be able to sustain plantations.
“This would be a dramatic outcome, affecting both local economies and our entire industry. A more recent study published by Swiss researchers from the Department of Natural Resource Sciences shows that even with moderate climate change, the entire planet will lose half of its best land designated to coffee production,” he says.
“The most significant impact will occur in tropical areas and on the most delicate and vulnerable crops, which certainly includes the Arabica quality.”
Bracesco says climate change is having negative impacts on soil and plant development conditions, but also on agriculture more generally.
“We are already witnessing phenomena such as migration due to global warming, which is jeopardising food, water, and economic security of populations affected by these factors,” he says.
“It is my hope that in the coming years, we will find global solutions to care for our planet, always bearing in mind that it is the origin of our supply chain that makes both what we do today and what we will do tomorrow possible.”
When asked how Cimbali Group can help to achieve this goal, Bracesco says the company’s transparency and adaptability to market changes is what keeps it at the forefront of the industry.
“We always ensure that in a company of almost 1000 people, we share the same vision and operate as one. Every member of Cimbali Group is essential to achieve success. We want everyone to feel part of something important and meaningful, to create an environment where people are welcomed and respected, regardless of their background or role in the company,” he says.
For more information, visit www.cimbaligroup.com
This article was first published in the January/February 2024 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
