Last Updated on February 2, 2022 by John Moretti
Different coffee drinkers worldwide have distinct taste preferences. Some like their coffee bitter, whereas some enjoy a sweeter taste. However, every coffee lover looks for a premium and unique blend. Just like these two top-notch coffee brands that often top the charts when it comes to consumer ratings. Between Kimbo vs. Lavazza, let’s take a look.
Both brands have their roots in Italy and are renowned for providing people with top-notch coffee consistently. As somebody who cannot properly function without drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, I know the struggle of choosing the right brand of coffee.
While Kimbo and Lavazza are many consumers’ favorites, why don’t we check the reviews and see which holds up in reality?
Kimbo Vs. Lavazza Quick Take
Both brands are driven towards providing coffee drinkers with premium-quality coffee. So, there is no way for us to make a decision based entirely on the quality itself.
Kimbo’s offerings have a mild bittersweet and chocolatey taste to them, lying on the brighter end of the taste scale while also essentially mimicking the Italian standard taste. Lavazza is better if you’re looking for more crema and a complex taste.
Kimbo’s exceptional-quality standards are reflected by the fact that the company goes as far as traveling to plantations to choose the ideal raw ingredients. Likewise, Lavazza’s experts and workers ensure that the freshness and quality of the product are not hampered by any means.
Kimbo has a noticeable presence in the Italian market. Its group of experts is developing a strong network of export distribution which targets several countries from different parts of the world. Lavazza is not far behind in its market visibility. Their wide availability of products and easy accessibility are also commendable.
Summing up, if you are on a budget and prefer slightly acidic but mild undertones, then Lavazza should be your pick. Kimbo is a better pick for espresso lovers.
Kimbo Coffee
Kimbo was founded in Naples, at the base of Mount Vesuvius, by the Rubino family. Naples has been one of the most famous places for producing the best coffee. In this place, coffee is so much more than just using the correct techniques and efficient craftsmanship.
People of Naples traditionally believe that coffee-making is a social ritual that unites various communities and allows them to blend together. Thus, Kimbo has kept its roots intact. They are so popular because they make their coffee in the traditional Neapolitan style. They have truly mastered the art of making coffee with over 50 years of experience.
Kimbo’s passion to serve millions of people with the best-quality coffee has driven them this far. They have given the art and process of sourcing, roasting, and blending coffee a whole new dimension.
This coffee brand puts in the most creative and innovative ideas to make the art of drinking a cup of coffee special. The secret technique to making the best quality coffee is using the most refined ingredients.
That is the sole reason why Kimbo has been dedicating so much of their time to selecting the best green coffee beans from different parts of the world. They take the effort and time to visit plantations and make the correct choice themselves.
Kimbo has a massive team of efficient workers. Their experts monitor and supervise each step in the process of cultivation to ensure that there is no compromise made on the quality of the final product.
Let us discuss the various stages of making coffee at Kimbo’s in detail.
1. Roasting
Once the workers obtain the green beans from the red berries, they put their samples through several tests. As soon as the beans pass these tests, they are all transported to Italy. They are then sent to the coffee-roasting plant where the roasting phase takes place.
In the plant, the coffee is heated at a temperature that varies between 160o and 250oC for approximately 8 to 12 minutes. The roasting stage is divided into three different substages:
- Dehydration: In this stage, moisture is removed from the beans.
- Roasting: In this phase, the beans are carefully roasted at an optimum temperature and in other favorable conditions.
- Cooling: This stage follows right after the roasting process. The beans are kept at room temperature to be cooled.
One of the best things about coffee is its aroma. Coffee acquires all of its magnificent fragrance in the roasting phase.
The time, strength, and temperature of the roasting stage determines how weak or strong the color and taste of the beans will be.
2. Blending
Blending is a crucial part of the process. This stage has to be a successful one for the coffee to turn out fresh and savory.
To obtain the expected result, each blend of coffee must combine the qualities of different origins. So, they are mixed together thoroughly. That way, the coffee will have a constant quality and an ideal taste. Kimbo prefers doing a manual round of mixing after they are blended in machines.
3. Packaging
The final stage is the packaging. It is fundamental in order to maintain the ideal quality of the coffee and keep it fresh. Whole beans are packed in a protected atmosphere, whereas pre-ground coffee is vacuum-packed.
The packaging is done so well that when the customers open the seals of their coffee bags, it seems as though it has just been roasted. The aroma and taste stay untouched.
4. Whole Bean Coffee
Kimbo’s spectrum of fresh coffee beans gives customers the convenience of grinding the beans at home. Coffee lovers get a wide range of options to choose from.
Whole bean coffee is one of the best produced by this brand. It preserves the raw essence of the roasting stage. So every time you pour yourself a cup of whole bean coffee, you will get a rich experience of breathtaking aroma and flavor.
The wide range varies from honey-gradient flavors to wood infusions. Kimbo’s special and unique flavors are like a dream come true for coffee fans.
5. Ground Coffee
There is a wide range of coffee available on Kimbo’s site with varying grinding sizes. Users can purchase the accurate grind size in accordance to whatever works the best for their coffee machine. The ground coffee has a smooth and creamy texture, intense aroma, and hazelnut color.
- Moka Coffee
Some people require a special kind of ground moka coffee for their unique coffee makers. For instance, coffee drinkers who own a Bialetti coffee maker need this unique ground coffee. Moka coffee has a coarser grinding degree which makes it suitable to be prepared in a cafeteria.
- Filter Coffee
Filter coffee is coarsely ground coffee for classic filter infusion in the filter machine or by hand.
- Espresso Portafilter
This is finely-grained espresso coffee for a portafilter espresso machine. It has been thoroughly grinded and strongly compressed under pressure.
- Bio Coffee
Bio coffee is great for the environment. Kimbo has been making constant efforts for a few years now to expand their range of organically-grown coffee beans. The coffee is made organically without compromising the taste and quality of the coffee. The beans come from the best plantations and are grown and harvested under sustainable conditions.
7. Others
- Decaffeinated coffee
- Capsules and pods
- Gentle and mild coffee
8. Barista Training
Kimbo provides a range of barista training courses suitable for all levels. The courses include basic barista training, advanced barista training, Kimbo day-training session, latte art foundation skill training, BSA one-day barista training, City & Guilds VRQ level 2, Bespoke barista training, and alternative brewing methods. Kimbo helps you transform your love for coffee into a skill that can help you earn some money. Whether you own a coffee shop or are just a coffee fan, these courses are quite resourceful.
Who Is Kimbo Coffee For?
If you are a fan of Italian coffee flavors and are more into strong espressos with a dark chocolatey profile, then this is the brand to go for. Their brews offer a strong aroma along with a chocolate-like aftertaste that is perfect to give you a good kick in the morning.
Lavazza Coffee
Lavazza was founded in Turin in 1895 by Luigi Lavazza. The brand has grown exponentially since then. What initially began as a small grocery store has now turned into a multi-branched coffee-manufacturing chain.
Lavazza’s coffee is famous for its premium-quality products at reasonable prices. It is available worldwide via myriads of platforms. It has gained so much fame over the years that Lavazza’s coffee is served in remarkable events like international tourist tournaments. It is one the topmost selling coffees not only in Italy, but worldwide.
The Lavazza Group has responsible members who realize that the farmers are the cornerstone of the supply chain since they grow the ultimate raw material. Therefore, they give deserving respect and importance to the coffee-growing communities to build a strong foundation of trust and support from both sides.
They have chalked out a series of projects dedicated to the promotion of socio-economic growth through sustainable farming. Thus, Lavazza Group is a step ahead in the game with its well-planned and thoughtful execution.
They import coffee from different parts of the world, including places like Costa Rica, Uganda, Brazil, and Colombia. They are determined to give coffee-making a new structure by improving the working environment.
Lavazza has six manufacturing plants. These plants are situated in Italy, France, India, and Brazil. Among these six plants, three are based in Italy.
1. The Company’s Values
This company operates in all sectors of the coffee industry. Their primary values revolve around authenticity, passion and determination for excellence, creativity and innovations, customer satisfaction, and responsibility.
Based on these shared values, Lavazza has successfully laid the foundation of a coffee-making industry that has a lot to offer to people worldwide. Their teamwork and perseverance has helped thousands of coffee lovers experience the bliss of drinking a perfect cup of coffee every morning. They are courageous enough to overcome whatever obstacles come their way and continue to think big.
2. Coffee Culture
The first step towards making great coffee is having adequate knowledge about the product. Lavazza has thrived on the ideals of sustainability and innovation and successfully fills approximately 27 billion espresso cups annually.
Each cup of coffee is made with pure love, passion, and care. A perfect blend of traditional ways and modern innovations has won the hearts of many coffee lovers all over the world.
3. Raw Materials
The company’s experts closely speculate the quality of the ingredients before purchasing them. Through the application of accurate quality standards, the features of the coffee are checked before they are used for production.
4. Manufacturing Procedure
Blending
The procedure begins with blending. This stage is at the core. The blends are created and carefully supervised by experts. A highly-qualified team of connoisseurs and an efficient IT system guarantee that the beans are blended perfectly to give the same result and flavor every time.
Roasting
Roasting is carried out in the air convection machines so the optimum temperature can be maintained. Sample quantities are roasted first before roasting all the batches directly to get better consistency.
Grinding
This process varies for different batches of coffee beans depending on the outcome that is required.
Packaging
The company has tried to come up with more innovative and beneficial methods for packaging to ensure optimum preservation of the final product. The packaging is carried out very carefully so that the coffee remains as fresh as possible when it reaches customers.
5. Training Center
Lavazza is set on creating a culture out of the brilliant art of making coffee. A successful training center is a hallmark of the quality of coffee manufactured by the company. With 8 offices in Italy and 42 more around the globe, it has the greatest coffee-training network.
They have different training courses available for baristas, distributors, sales force teams, catering staff, consumers, and new batches of hired staff. The training experts at these centers share their knowledge on a wide range of topics. Starting from the origin of coffee to tasting and the professional techniques of making coffee, appropriate knowledge about everything is provided to all.
Training professionals give lessons on traditional, as well as modern, methods of making coffee. Other tips like how to distinguish between different types of beans and how to perfectly blend the ingredients are provided by trainers.
Kimbo, Lavazza and Italian Coffee
What is the best Italian coffee brand?
Illy Classico and Lavazza can be crowned as the best overall coffee brands. If you are on a budget, then you can go with the FORTE series, whereas brands like Pellini and Lavazza are ideal for ground coffee beans and decaf.
What makes Italian coffee so good?
Italians use expensive high-quality Arabica beans to roast their coffee to utter perfection. There’s a reason why it took 47 years for the first Starbucks outlet to open in Italy. Their high-quality standards are matched by none.
What is the most popular Lavazza coffee?
Lavazza super crema is one of their bestselling and critically-acclaimed coffees. This stems from the perfect balance that these beans pose between quality and price.
Is there any brand better than Lavazza?
When it comes to value for money, then Illy is an overall better pick. Both the brands offer similar taste, but Illy comes at a lower price.
Are Kimbo capsules compatible with Nespresso machines?
Yes, they offer a wide range of products, including consuelo coffee capsules which work well with most Nespresso machines.
