Beloved neighborhood bar concept teams up with global leader in sustainable, high quality coffee for beverage-line refresh
Bar Louie is taking its beverage program to the next level by partnering with world-renowned coffee company illy Caffè. The initiative will introduce more robust, elevated coffee and tea selections to the menu across all of the brand’s locations by the end of 2024.
The coffee rollout – which has already begun at Bar Louie’s corporate locations – includes state-of-the-art espresso machines alongside illy’s high-quality and sustainability sourced Arabic beans that, when combined, will offer guests top-tier caffeinated beverage choices for brunch, lunch, dinner or even late-night pick-me-ups.
Available now at select locations, Bar Louie guests can enjoy fresh espresso, tropical teas, lattes and a handful of other non-alcoholic caffeinated offerings from the illy Caffè umbrella of products. Additionally, Bar Louie is enhancing its popular signature coffee beverages, such as the ‘Mean Bean Espresso Martini,’ to incorporate the fresher, better-tasting illy ingredients.
“As only one of a handful of national bar chains to embark on a systemwide investment in their coffee and tea program, we believe this initiative represents untapped potential in both guest satisfaction and revenue streams,” said Ian Welby, Vice President of Beverage and Execution for Bar Louie. “Apart from the R&D possibilities this opens up across the menu, we also feel this investment is an opportunity to provide our best-in-class bartenders with the flexibility to get even more creative with all aspects of our beverage program. Spiked coffee shots, anyone?!”
For more information about Bar Louie and to view the full menu, please visit BarLouie.com.
Founded in downtown Chicago in 1990 and headquartered in Dallas, Bar Louie is the original Gastrobar with an award-winning collection of neighborhood bars with a lively, social atmosphere. With 67 locations across the United States, Bar Louie is known for its signature handcrafted martinis and cocktails, Gastrobar menu of appetizers, burgers and sandwiches served every day until close. For more information on Bar Louie, visit BarLouie.com.
illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients. The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans. Every day more than 8 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors. Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification. Everything that is “made in illy” is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 130 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers. With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 23 countries around the world. In 2023, the company had a turnover of €595,1 million. The illy single-brand network has 159 points of sale in 30 countries.
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