"Accademia Vergnano": competence center for coffee excellence founded
The Accademia Vergnano has opened at the EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne. With this new center of excellence, Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland, Caffè Vergnano 1882, and the EHL are creating a training facility that combines traditional coffee craftsmanship with hands-on hospitality education.
The Accademia Vergnano opened at the EHL Hospitality Business School on November 5, 2025. The partnership between Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland, Caffè Vergnano 1882 and EHL creates a new competence center for coffee excellence in Switzerland that combines traditional coffee craftsmanship with innovation and sets a new, practice-oriented standard in the training of future hospitality executives.
The Accademia establishes coffee as a strategic element in the hospitality sector and combines academic knowledge, practical training and global expertise to create a dynamic learning environment. Students learn about all stages of the coffee value chain: from cultivation and roasting to taste and preparation. The space combines a café, a training center and a boutique, creating a lively place where students, professionals and coffee experts can come together, exchange ideas and jointly provide impetus for the further development of coffee quality.
Markus Venzin, CEO of EHL Hospitality Business School, explains: "The Accademia Vergnano strengthens our educational offering specifically in the area of coffee. It combines scientific principles with practical application and meets our aim of preparing students for their future management tasks with real industry practice."
Coffee as a strategic factor in the hospitality sector
In Switzerland, around eight kilograms of green coffee are consumed per capita every year - that is equivalent to around three cups a day and is one of the highest figures in the world. Coffee is therefore an integral part of Swiss culinary culture and the hospitality industry. The increasing demand for quality, sustainability and transparency of origin makes it an important differentiator in the catering and hotel industry.
Carolina Vergnano, CEO of Caffè Vergnano 1882, explains: "With the Accademia, we are bringing our 140-year coffee heritage to Switzerland and making it possible to pass on and develop Italian coffee culture in an international environment."
Alain Mettler, Coffee Business Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland and EHL alumnus, adds: "The Accademia creates a place where specialist knowledge is pooled. In this way, we are contributing to the professionalization of the coffee market and promoting the exchange between education and practice."
Platform for knowledge, practice and passion
Together, EHL, Caffè Vergnano and Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland are setting standards in terms of quality, sustainability and the next generation of leaders in the hospitality industry. The Accademia Vergnano is more than just a training center - it is a platform that combines knowledge, practice and a shared passion for coffee. These efforts are helping to shape the future of the hospitality industry and coffee culture in Switzerland.
