Italy meets Invermere, B.C., as Lavazza buys control of Kicking Horse Coffee
Old World coffee giant Lavazza is buying control of Kicking Horse Coffee, the company known for its cheekily named blends that can trace its roots to a garage in the Rocky Mountains.
The deal announced Wednesday values the Invermere, B.C., company at $215 million and gives Italy’s Lavazza an 80 per cent stake in the coffee bean roaster.
Elana Rosenfeld, who co-founded Kicking Horse in 1996 with Leo Johnson equipped with little more than a roaster, said the partnership is an ideal fit.
“They come from Italy,” Rosenfeld said in an interview.