USTA, Lavazza Announce Multi-Year Agreement For The US Open Tennis Championships

WHITE PLAINS N.Y., Feb. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Lavazza today announced a multi-year agreement making "Italy's favorite coffee" an official promotional partner and the exclusive coffee of the US Open Tennis Championships. Lavazza's investment supports the brand's determination for exponential growth this year in North America.

As a partner with the US Open, Lavazza coffee drinks will be integrated into the on-site food and beverage experience. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase Lavazza's coffee drinks at the new Lavazza Cafe, as well as at the many restaurants, concessions and hospitality areas located throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. During the 2015 US Open, Lavazza will host a promotional space to educate and engage with consumers, including offering samples of their coffee products to try at home. Lavazza will also have rights to activate a US Open themed promotion in New York City prior to the start of the tournament.

"Starting this year, tennis enthusiasts who attend the US Open will not only have the chance to watch some exciting tennis featuring the finest players in the world, but also to take an all-Italian break and enjoy a delicious cup of authentic coffee" said Group Vice President Giuseppe Lavazza. "The agreement, which forms part of the internationalization strategy pursued by the Italian company and brand, underlines our intention to make the United States our second home and to consolidate the relationship between Lavazza and expressions of excellence the world over."

The US Open represents Lavazza's largest tennis sponsorship in North America. Lavazza's roster of successful tennis partnerships includes Wimbledon, The Championships (U.K.), the Rogers Cup (Toronto, Canada), and the BNP Paribas Open (U.S.) – all to be renewed in 2015.

Ennio Ranaboldo, CEO of Lavazza North America, says "Having experienced great success with previous tournaments, we believe the US Open and Lavazza coffee are a perfect match. We look forward to reaching millions of people as we heighten our exposure in North America with our US Open partnership."

"Partnering with Lavazza truly embodies the US Open's global connection with prestigious, iconic brands," said Lew Sherr, Chief Revenue Officer, USTA. "We look forward to supporting Lavazza's efforts to build awareness in North America and working together to introduce their savory coffee offerings to our fans."

The 2015 US Open will run from August 31 to September 13 and regularly draws record crowds of more than 700,000 attendees.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking eight summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, "like" the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.

About Lavazza:
Established in Turin in 1895, Lavazza has been owned by the family of the same name for four generations. The world's seventh ranking coffee roaster, today Lavazza is the retail market leader in Italy with a market value share of over 47% (source: Nielsen) and sales of EUR 1,340 million (as of December 31, 2013). The company has five production sites, four in Italy and one abroad, and operates through associated companies and distributors in more than 90 countries. Lavazza invented the concept of blending - or in other words the art of combining different types of coffee from different geographical areas - in its early years and this continues to be a distinctive feature of most of its products. The company also has 25 years' experience in the production and sale of portioned coffee systems and products and was the first Italian business to offer capsule espresso systems. Lavazza's North American headquarters are in New York City and they compete in the roast & ground, single-serve, and away from home segments in the USA and Canada. Lavazza is the official coffee at the Italy Pavilion, Expo 2015. For more information on Lavazza, log on to lavazza.com, "like" the official Facebook page, facebook.com/lavazza, or follow @lavazzausa on Twitter.