Innovation is often a flash of ingenuity of disarming simplicity. This is the case of the ready to drink Drink 124, a cold extracted coffee drink launched on the market in 2020 during the lockdown.

Drink 124 was developed by Ivan Marchese and Mario Alemi "We saw each other with neighbors and the idea was born of giving birth to the brand with the name inspired by the 1984 Fiat Spider 124 model, owned by Mario". The goal has been from the beginning to offer a quality non-alcoholic drink, with the commitment to select the beans carefully for those who produce them and transmit all information to the customer.

From single-origin coffees, of different origins and with a roasting that enhances aromas and aromatic depths - Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Peru, Indonesia - we then arrived at the ready-to-drink beverage. «It is a naturally cold extracted coffee, a cold brew with no added sugar or gas. he quality of the coffee, grown at high altitudes, the relatively light roasting type and the dilution allow for a drink with little caffeine, which is however absorbed slowly and without causing dehydration, as happens with espresso.

. << We have been working on the structure of this extraction process for about 14 months. From the beginning we were inspired by the movements and in particular by the shaking of the professional bartender who skillfully mixes ml of liquid. For us it was stimulating to observe closely and understand how to apply those movements to a larger vessel >>

Only specialty coffees are used to produce Drink 124. "We buy only from small producers, who take care of the plant (strictly Coffea arabica), collect the seeds by hand (picking method) as soon as they mature and ferment them on site giving the final product a unique aroma, characteristic of the place where it was product. Grains that, above all, are paid various multiples of the price of coffee on the stock exchange, to give farmers the opportunity to work and live in dignity ».

CV founders

Mario Alemi is a physicist, writer and coffee lover.
He graduated in international journalism from City University, London, where he lived for many years.

Ivan Marchese is a great lover of food, drinks and territories.
He graduated in Milan with a thesis in food anthropology and regional street food.