Caffè Motta, a historic coffee producer and symbol of Italian excellence, ranked among the top ten companies in the sector in Italy and abroad, is investing in sustainability and self-production of renewable energy, activating a 490 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of its production plant in Via Roberto Wenner in Salerno. Opened in 2019, the modern building with fully glazed facades covers an area of 12,000 square meters and has a domed roof, part of which is transparent, illuminating the production area and minimizing the need for artificial lighting. On the remaining part of the roof, Samso Spa, an ESCO (Energy Service Company) specializing in energy efficiency projects, installed 538 monocrystalline silicon modules, covering a total area of approximately 11,000 square meters. Samso states that the plant will be able to produce 533,000 kWh per year, renewable energy that will cover approximately 70% of the company’s electricity consumption.
The energy produced will be used for self-consumption, powering coffee production machinery, as well as lighting, cooling, and heating the office area, which covers approximately 1,000 square meters. In terms of environmental benefits, the activation of the photovoltaic system will enable Caffè Motta to reduce its annual CO2 emissions by 216 tons, a result that can be equated to the action of approximately 10,000 trees planted in the area.
“In these difficult times,” says Gianpiero Cascone, CEO of Samso Spa, “we have activated a plant that will bring many benefits to the company. Self-production of energy is now even more valuable, given the continuous increases in energy bills, which have a serious impact on the competitiveness of all businesses.
Investing in sustainability adds value to the brand and is a smart way to improve the bottom line while helping the environment.
“Sustainability is increasingly an integral and decisive part of our company’s strategy,” emphasizes Nicola Mastromartino, CEO of Caffè Motta. “All new products and actions undertaken at the company level are based on sustainability, confirming our constant attention to the environment and consumer well-being. The new photovoltaic system, which covers all our needs, is perfectly in line with our corporate philosophy, which is aimed at promoting a circular economy that will allow us to be competitive in Italy and abroad.”
Caffè Motta was founded in the 1960s in Salerno. This modern factory produces around 11 million kg of roasted coffee annually. The coffee is purchased raw, then cleaned at the factory before being blended. The beans are then transferred to two roasters and ground. The coffee is then stored in a series of silos for natural degassing, i.e., the elimination of gases; finally, it is portioned and packaged in all the formats in which it is marketed: whole beans, vacuum-packed ground coffee for large-scale distribution, pods, and capsules. Caffè Motta has recently launched compostable coffee pods, packaged in recyclable aroma-saving bags. The company intends to launch numerous projects to make coffee production increasingly green and sustainable and to digitize and optimize processes, eliminating waste. There is also a strong focus on the local area. Caffè Motta is the main sponsor of Salernitana Calcio for the 2021-22 football season and is also committed to supporting redevelopment projects in the city.
© Il Mattino
