Company Visit to Accademia del Caffè: A Journey Through Aromas and Tradition
24 March 2025For the students of the Food and Wine track of the Global MBA at Bologna Business School, the visit to Accademia del Caffè was a true sensory exploration into the beating heart of one of the world’s most beloved rituals.
Emily Elizabeth Rose, a participant in the Master’s program, walks us through the experience, sharing insights and reflections gathered during the guided tour led by expert Massimo Battaglia.
The Hidden Magic Behind a Cup
Anyone approaching the world of coffee quickly realizes that behind a simple espresso lies a universe of unexpected complexity. The visit allowed students to uncover each phase of this fascinating transformation.
“Seeing coffee only as a final product is limiting,” Emily explains. “The opportunity to follow each step from plant to cup completely changed my perception.”
During the final tasting session, one particular experience caught the group’s attention:
“We tasted a coffee made from beans dried inside the fruit itself. The sensory impact was surprising – the aroma and taste evoked a cherry pie. The contrast between knowing we were drinking coffee and the feeling of sipping a fruity tea clearly showed how individual production choices can completely transform the final result.”
The Invisible Bean of the Global Economy
Massimo Battaglia’s presentation shed light on lesser-known aspects of this ancient industry.
“Before this experience, my understanding of the coffee industry was superficial,” Emily admits. “As consumers, we tend to overlook the complex web of decisions and actions that bring a product to our table.”
One fact in particular struck the participants:
“It was eye-opening to learn that coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world after oil, with transactions taking place on the London and New York stock exchanges. And yet, farmers receive only 4% of the final profit. For every euro spent on an espresso, just four cents reach the people who grew the beans. This disparity highlights a broader issue in the global food system, where those who produce our food are often at the lowest rung of the economic chain.”
Human Connections Around a Cup
The experience also sparked deep reflections on the social and relational value of coffee in contemporary society.
“Coming from Seattle, I see coffee as an almost sacred daily ritual,” says Emily. “Every corner, just like in Bologna, has a café with a barista who becomes part of your routine, someone you know by name.”
One design detail particularly stood out to her:
“Massimo showed us a La Marzocco espresso machine designed to be built into the counter, removing the visual barrier between barista and customer. It’s a perfect example of how design can enhance the human element in the coffee experience. This principle will guide my future professional vision: how can we rebuild the network of connections between producers and consumers in a system that constantly tries to separate them?”
The visit to Accademia del Caffè left participants not only with a deeper technical understanding, but with a renewed awareness: behind every cup lies a world of stories, people, and choices that deserve to be acknowledged and understood. A lesson that goes far beyond coffee, and one that is fully applicable to the entire realm of contemporary gastronomic experiences.
