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The new Florian at Harrods is a contemporary interpretation of the famous 18th century coffee house in Venice |
ITALY. Caffè Florian unveiled its latest exclusive gourmet products at the TFWA World Exhibition in October and has announced further coffee shop openings across the world.
Caffè Florian opened its doors in Piazza San Marco, Venice in 1720 and is one of the most famous landmarks in Italy.
In April 2009, a new company took over the prestigious Florian gourmet brand and the historical café. Under the leadership of Andrea Formilli Fendi (a member of the Fendi fashion family) as Chairman and Marco Paolini as CEO, the heritage and tradition of Caffè Florian will be maintained while international development is pursued.
Following the openings of retail coffee shops in Florence (in 2006), Abu Dhabi (2006) and Dubai (2008), a new Caffè Florian began trading at London department store Harrods on 6 October 2009.
Alongside the elegant café area, which is a contemporary reinterpretation of the famous Venice coffee shop, the Florian brand offers a collection of selected products representing the art of elegant living. The Gourmet range, the Lifestyle line and the Design collection are said to be characterised by refined Italian taste and are sold in exclusive Italian and international locations.
FLORIAN AT HARRODS
The new Florian at Harrods is a contemporary interpretation of the famous 18th century coffee house, featuring the pastel colours inspired by the original 18th and 19th century frescoes, stuccoes, mosaics and Italian velvets, but in a decidedly modern way, designed by Italian architect Gloria De Ruggiero.
Venetian style and elegance is emphasised by handcrafted lamps exclusively designed by artist Massimo Nordio. A collection of eight glass lamps shaped like a winged lion – the symbol of Venice – stand out in the sumptuously decorated room.
Florian at Harrods serves Venetian and Italian specialities, such as coffee, teas, chocolates and pastries. The retail boutique offers Florian branded products including gourmet foods, confectionery, fragrances, home décor and fashion accessories.
Next year, Florian plans to bring an art exhibition to the Harrods outlet along similar lines to the art exhibitions it hosts each year in Venice.
Florian is seeking locations for additional coffee shops in major cities such as Paris, New York and London.
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Florian at Harrods: The retail boutique offers Florian branded products including gourmet foods, confectionery, fragrances and fashion accessories |
FLORIAN AT TFWA WORLD EXHIBITION
By exhibiting at the TFWA World Exhibition in October, Florian demonstrated its intention to expand its global presence in travel retail. The company’s objective is to open shop-in-shops in airports within its coffee shop outlets.
At Venice Airport, the company has a small corner selling products, but does not operate a café.
At TFWA in Cannes, Florian also displayed new gourmet items developed to represent the spirit of the brand and its art of elegant Italian living:
MERLOT FLORIAN SELECTION: This wine is characterised by a deep ruby red colour; its complex bouquet is described as a vibrant medley of an aromatic hay fragrance emphasised by an elegant spicy sensation, a fruited taste of blackberry and raspberry, and a flavour of liquorice and wild berries. The grapes are selected from vineyards in the Trentino and Veneto regions.
PINOT GRIGIO FLORIAN SELECTION: This wine is a selection of vineyards from the Trentino and Veneto regions and is characterised by a pale yellow colour with pearly reflections. Its taste is dry, balanced and fruity with an aftertaste of apple and banana. Its perfume recalls exotic fruits and wild flowers with a hint of honey.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: The Florian Extra virgin olive oil (250ml) is a superior category olive oil obtained directly from the best fruits of the olive tree and solely by mechanical means. It can be drizzled over all kinds of food to add extra flavour and smoothness.
BALSAMIC VINEGAR of MODENA: The rich, slightly sweet flavour of this vinegar (250ml) can be used as a base ingredient when marinading meats. It can be added to meat, vegetables or salad.
RED WINE VINEGAR: The strong, rich perfume of Florian Red Wine Vinegar (250ml) comes from the skilful combination of fragrant red grapes. A few drops add character and a distinctive personality to any dish, according to the firm.
For details, e-mail info@caffeflorian.com Visit www.caffeflorian.com
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