ITALY. Travel experience player Avolta, through subsidiary Autogrill, has launched Next Drip, an ‘innovation lab’ dedicated to the world of coffee.
The new space, located at Avolta’s Italian headquarters in Rozzano, was created to promote coffee knowledge and culture. It leans on study of trends in the sector with an approach based on continuous experimentation, said Avolta.
“With Next Drip we want to enhance one of the most symbolic beverages of the Autogrill motorway stop for the traveller – coffee”, commented Luca D’Alba, General Manager Italy F&B Avolta.
“We want to create a place for innovation and experimentation, to identify trends and create new taste experiences for consumers, which go beyond the traditional espresso. It is a further strengthening of our skills in the world of coffee, in which we continue to update and invest through various initiatives and collaborations with key partners in the sector.”
With Next Drip, Avolta said it aims to develop a sensory journey for consumers, via a space dedicated to innovation, defining new trends and creating unique products, not only in terms of menu offerings, but also in terms of production techniques and the overall customer experience.
“Next Drip is a place of collaboration and creativity that through a dynamic and practical approach to coffee, is set to redefine tastes and traditional consumption styles,” said the company.
Group partnerships in coffee include the Culinary Council, an international gastronomic innovation programme established by Avolta’s research and development department and MAGENTAbureau. This brings together a network of speakers from different sectors, including chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, pizza makers, coffee experts and many others several times a year, with the aim of identifying emerging trends for the F&B offer.
In 2024, coffee was one of the central themes of the Culinary Council, with a dedicated session in May at Avolta’s Factory Food Designers event to explore how coffee consumption has changed over the past decades and how leading brands have addressed these changes.
The latest meeting of the Culinary Council was held on 19 November at the Avolta headquarters in Rozzano to further explore trends in the industry and help drive innovation in food & beverage. 
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