L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano A s a third-generation coffee roaster, Emanuele Bizzarri is immersed in the classic Italian approach to roasting cof- fee, with an emphasis on blend, craft, detail and passion. His Seattle-based company, Caffè Umbria, operates three cafes in the Pacific Northwest— two in Seattle and one in Portland, with one more in each city scheduled to open this sum- mer. The company also has a warehouse and retail shop in Chicago with a second café on the way. Each retail location epit- omizes a hip urban aesthetic and offers an authentic Italian coffee bar experience. Now in its 15th year, Caffè Umbria was started by Bizzarri and co-founders Jesse Sweeney and Pasquale Madeddu. In the beginning, the trio roasted about 2,000 pounds of coffee a month and handled all aspects of the business themselves—from roasting to packaging to ship- ping. Today, a staff of 70 works in the roasting plant, warehouses, retail cafes and training lab. Coffee production at Caffè Umbria has skyrocketed, as well. The company roasts more than one million pounds of coffee each year and ships to wholesale customers as far away as China and Korea. The brand is particu- larly popular in the high-end hotel industry, where it is served by the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, and others. Bizzarri comes to the busi- ness naturally. His grandfather Ornello owned a grocery store in Perugia, Italy. After World War II, Ornello started working for a relative who was a coffee roast- er; he later opened his own home-based roasting business called Torrefazione Perugina. "He sold coffee in little bags in a retail shop in his home," said Bizzarri. "I helped him roast the beans when I was young, and learned a lot about the roasting process." In 1986, Emanuele's father, Umberto, brought the family business to Seattle, starting Torrefazione Italia. More than a decade later, the brand was pur- chased by AFC Enterprises which sold it to Starbucks, which eventually closed all 17 Torrefazione cafes. Emanuele took advantage of that timing to open the first Caffè Umbria in the same Pioneer Square building that housed his father's first Torrefazione Italia cafe. When he learned that the original 15- kilo coffee roaster that his family had brought from Italy was up for sale, he jumped at the chance to recapture a piece of family history. Caffè Umbria also pays homage to the family's ties to Perugia with its company logo, which illustrates the Arco Etrusco (Etruscan Arch), one of the ancient gateways to the city. In January, Caffè Umbria opened its first coffee training lab in Portland for new employ- ees and wholesale customers. Its "Accademia del Caffè" curricu- lum covers company history, roasting philosophy, and infor- mation on its signature blends and single-origin coffees. "The classes last from one to four hours, depending on cus- tomer needs," said Bizzarri. "The lab allows us to provide training in a quiet closed envi- ronment, instead of a busy café space." A visit to Caffè Umbria's 22,000 square-foot roasting facility and warehouse in south Seattle is a rich sensory experi- ence. First comes the aroma of coffee beans. A large silo holds 18 tons of green coffee beans that flow to two roasters, togeth- er capable of roasting 9,000 pounds of coffee a day. The bright red silos, stainless steel drums, black tubes and hoses are visually eye-popping. Pallet upon pallet of hemp coffee bags stacked to the ceiling add the final gee-whiz factor. The fully automated packaging side of the RITA CIPALLA Caffè Umbria: Steeped in the classic coffee- roasting tradition warehouse has different-sized machines that can pack thou- sands of pounds of coffee each day. Part artist and part scientist, Bizzarri sources coffee beans from throughout South and Central America and Africa to create his signature blends. Only the highest quality Arabica beans are used, and they must be certi- fied organic, fair trade, shade- grown and bird-friendly. Quality is ensured not only by the pre- cise selection of beans and the harmonious artistry of the blend but also from the company's carefully cultivated, long-term relationships with its network of coffee farmers. This care and attention to the personal side of the business can be seen in the community part- nerships that Bizzarri forges. Caffè Umbria supports a number of cultural and educational orga- nizations, including Seattle International Film Festival, Il Punto Italian Cultural Center and Pike Place Market Foundation. The Caffè Umbria Scholarship, now in its second year, provides one month's tuition and stipend to a member of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association to study Italian at Perugia's University for Foreigners. The company also made a significant donation to the sister city association to cre- ate Piazza Perugia, a dedicated Seattle park space which will be completed this fall. Community partnerships aside, Bizzarri is definitely all about the coffee. Part of his chal- lenge is to keep his blends con- sistent, even when using differ- ent beans. "You've got to do your research and tweak your blend to maintain quality," he said. Comparing the blending process to a musical perfor- mance, he noted: "When you go to a concert, it's nice to hear a soloist play. But when you hear the orchestra play together, it makes a different sound. It's fuller; it's richer." This commitment to the essence of Italian-style espresso and coffee gives Caffè Umbria its niche. "Having Italian roots and being an Italian roaster these days doesn't get you a whole lot," said Bizzarri. "For us, it's more about quality, consistency, training and loyalty. We work to create the best blend and provide the best customer service. We feel those values are unique to us." Co-founders Emanuele Bizzarri, Jesse Sweeney and Pasquale Madeddu (left to right) celebrated the 15th anniversary of Caffè Umbria this spring. (Caffè Umbria) Caffè Umbria's flagship location is in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square, with a second cafe in the city's Ballard neighborhood. (Caffè Umbria) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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