Over the last week, illy has been giving and receiving awards. On March 19, the coffee brand announced the names of Ernesto Illy Espresso Coffee Quality Award winners—the award designed to celebrate the hard work and commitment to quality of Brazilian espresso producers.

Image: www.illy.com

The award ceremony that took place this year has marked the 20th anniversary of illy’s presence in Brazil and cooperation with local producers. In 2011, only two Brazilian states were nominated for the award: Sao Paolo and Minas Gerais. In total, among the 50 winners chosen in November, Minas Gerais won 47 places and São Paulo the other three for the 2010/2011 harvest. However, the grand prize in the amount of 50 thousand Brazilian reals went to Carlos André Dognani of Sao Paolo.

The sample coffee yields were researched and analyzed by Assicafé, the laboratory that renders exclusive services to illycaffè in Brazil. This independent laboratory has produced the TOP 50 rating based on high-standard selection techniques.

More than that, illy Coffee Club jury have announced the Supplier of the Year (2010/2011 harvest). The award went to Esmerino Joaquim Ribeiro do Vale, of Guaxupé. The winning coffee producer and a companion won a cultural trip to Italy, where they will have a chance to visit illycaffè headquarters in Trieste.

The “Acknowledgement of Practices and Sustainability Diploma” was awarded to Fazenda Córrego, of Santa Margarida. This award established in 2008 aims to celebrate the producers that pay a great deal of attention to sustainable growing, gathering and supplying techniques.

That it to mention that on March 18 illy itself was awarded for its commitment to sustainable approach to business. illy became the world’s first company to receive Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Responsible Supply Chain Process certification aimed at celebrating the company’s commitment towards sustainability in the process of production and in its relations with stakeholders throughout the production chain.