Emilio Lavazza, Italian espresso maker, dead at age 78

MILAN - Emilio Lavazza, who helped make Lavazza coffee the best-selling espresso in Italy and expand its global reach to 90 countries, has died at the age of 78, the company said yesterday.

Lavazza died in the northern city of Turin of a heart attack on Tuesday.

Lavazza started working in 1955 in the family-run business founded by his grandfather Luigi in the late 1800s in Turin. He became chief executive after his father's death in 1971 and chairman after his uncle died in 1979. He retired in 2008.

Under his leadership, Lavazza captured 47 percent of the Italian market to become the most popular coffee brand, the company said in a statement. Lavazza also helped expand Italy's espresso culture around the world to countries including France, Britain and the United States. - AP