A new Lavazza coffee training centre has been launched in Malta with the main objective of spreading the culture of coffee and maintaining quality standards at permanently high levels, said a spokesman for P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd.

"The setting up of our training centre emphasises our commitment towards excellence in the serving of Lavazza in cafés, restaurants and hotels," said Clyde Attard, Marketing Manager at P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd.

Lavazza auditor and trainer Norbert Lange, who manages the centre said the Malta Centre organises courses that delve into the subject of coffee, its taste, the equipment used to make excellent brews, and the methods of preparing and serving excellent coffee.

Hospitality professionals can further their knowledge on the history and geography of coffee, its distribution, its characteristics, and its global consumption patterns.

Despite the innovative drive that Lavazza is synonymous with, the programme is still based on the strong bond with tradition and the 100 years of experience for which the company is renowned worldwide.

The Lavazza training centre network was formed in the mid-1990s and from the main centre in Turin has spread worldwide, disseminating the culture of Italian espresso and the "Italian style".

The main centre in Turin is responsible for setting the standards which all the other centres have to adopt. The training centres and foreign subsidiaries are an offshoot of the 1979 Luigi Lavazza Centre for Coffee Studies and Research, founded as part of the company's strategy of product quality.