Costa Coffee was founded in London in 1971 by the Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa. True to Italian tradition, Costa Coffee has been preparing its special Mocha Italia Espresso blend for thirty years, a mix of seven different coffee beans roasted by a slow process that guarantees exceptional flavour. Another reason why Costa Coffee cafés are gaining popularity around the world is the hand preparation of drinks from freshly ground coffee. Costa does not use automated machines, like most other chains, and employs experienced baristas, whose training in the field is also overseen by the company itself. Costa Coffee currently operates in 31 countries and, with more than 3247 branches, is the largest and fastest-growing chain of Italian coffee shops in the world. In the United Kingdom it is the market leader and has been regularly voted the favourite café by customers for several years.
