SAECO

SAECO is an Italian coffee-machine brand whose history is closely associated with the development of domestic super-automatic espresso equipment. The company was established in 1981 by Italian businessman Sergio Zappella and Swiss inventor Arthur Schmed under the name Sergio, Arthur e Compagnia. Its early purpose was to combine Italian espresso-making tradition with consumer-oriented electrical engineering, producing machines that could automate processes traditionally performed by trained baristas. A major early turning point came in 1985, when the company introduced Superautomatica, described as the first completely automatic espresso machine intended for domestic use. The product helped establish the category in which SAECO became best known: machines that grind coffee beans, dose the grounds, brew espresso and dispense the drink with limited user intervention. This approach made espresso preparation more accessible outside cafés and restaurants, while retaining features associated with Italian coffee culture. SAECO subsequently expanded its technology portfolio. The company introduced a cappuccinatore system in 1996 to automate the preparation of milk-based drinks, and in 1999 developed its SBS, or Saeco Brewing System, for automatic adaptation of brewing pressure. These innovations supported the brand's broader positioning around convenience, beverage customization and automated preparation. In the same year, SAECO acquired Gaggia, a historic Italian espresso brand, adding another established name to its coffee-equipment business. The company produced several categories of equipment, including manual espresso machines, super-automatic bean-to-cup machines, capsule systems and professional coffee machines. Its consumer range has included families such as Xelsis, Incanto and PicoBaristo, while its professional activities have been connected with coffee equipment supplied to workplaces, hospitality venues and other commercial environments. The brand has also used connected technology in products such as the Bluetooth-enabled GranBaristo Avanti, announced in 2013. In 2009, Philips agreed to acquire SAECO after the company's board accepted a purchase offer subject to shareholder and banking approvals. From July 2009, the brand was associated with Philips and was commonly presented as Philips Saeco. The transaction linked SAECO's espresso-machine expertise with Philips's international consumer-electronics and coffee-system activities, including the Senseo system. The business was later separated by market segment. In 2017, Philips sold the professional coffee-machine division, together with the associated Gaggia professional activities, to N&W Global Vending. N&W changed its name to Evoca Group in November of that year. Professional production continued at the historic Gaggio Montano site near Bologna. The domestic coffee-machine division became part of Philips's later consumer-appliance activities, which were spun off into Versuni. Versuni is owned by Hillhouse Investment. SAECO therefore operates today as a brand with different ownership arrangements across its domestic and professional activities. Its consumer identity remains centered on automated espresso and bean-to-cup preparation, while its professional heritage is connected to commercial coffee equipment. Across both areas, the brand's distinguishing themes are Italian espresso heritage, automation, integrated grinding and brewing, milk-drink preparation and increasingly connected operation.

SAECO was founded in Italy in 1981 by Sergio Zappella and Arthur Schmed. Its original corporate name, Sergio, Arthur e Compagnia, reflected the partnership between the two founders. The company developed electrical equipment for espresso preparation and pursued a model in which Italian coffee-making techniques could be reproduced by consumers with minimal manual skill. In 1985, SAECO introduced Superautomatica, identified in reference material as the first completely automatic espresso machine for domestic use. The machine established an important direction for the company: integrating grinding, dosing, brewing and dispensing into a single consumer appliance. Instead of requiring a separate grinder and extensive preparation, a user could obtain an espresso through a more automated workflow. This helped SAECO become associated with the emerging super-automatic or bean-to-cup category. The company continued to develop systems for milk beverages and automated brewing. Its cappuccinatore, introduced in 1996, addressed the preparation of cappuccino and other milk-based drinks. In 1999, SAECO introduced SBS, a system designed to adapt brewing pressure automatically. The same year, it acquired Gaggia, an older Italian espresso brand, expanding its presence in both the heritage and technical segments of the coffee-equipment market. SAECO's activities covered manual espresso machines, super-automatic machines, capsule systems and professional equipment. Consumer product families included Xelsis, Incanto and PicoBaristo. The company also continued to experiment with digital connectivity. The GranBaristo Avanti, announced in 2013, used Bluetooth connectivity, reflecting the growing integration of consumer appliances with mobile devices and digital controls. In May 2009, SAECO's board agreed to a purchase proposal from Philips, subject to the required shareholder and bank approvals. Philips already had a significant position in household coffee systems through products such as Senseo. Following the transaction, SAECO became part of Philips from July 2009, and the brand was often presented as Philips Saeco. The Philips period was followed by a division of the business. In 2017, Philips sold the professional SAECO division, along with the professional Gaggia activities, to N&W Global Vending, an Italian company active in vending machines and beverage equipment. N&W changed its name to Evoca Group in November 2017. Professional coffee-machine production remained associated with SAECO's historical facility in Gaggio Montano near Bologna. The domestic coffee-machine division followed a different corporate path. It became part of Versuni, the Philips consumer-appliance spin-off, which is owned by Hillhouse Investment. Consequently, SAECO is best understood today as a continuing brand whose consumer and professional operations have separate corporate homes. Its historical identity remains rooted in Italian espresso engineering, while its product proposition emphasizes convenience, automation, milk-drink capability, customization and, in some products, connected operation.

• 2017

  Professional division is sold

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  Philips sells the SAECO professional division and the professional Gaggia activities to N&W Global Vending.

• 2017

  N&W becomes Evoca Group

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  N&W Global Vending changes its name to Evoca Group in November.

• 2013

  GranBaristo Avanti is announced

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  SAECO announces the Bluetooth-enabled GranBaristo Avanti, extending its automatic coffee-machine range into connected appliances.

• 2009

  Philips agrees to acquire SAECO

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  SAECO's board accepts a Philips purchase offer, subject to shareholder and bank approvals.

• 2009

  SAECO becomes part of Philips

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  The brand comes under Philips ownership from July 2009.

• 1999

  SBS brewing-pressure system is introduced

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  SAECO develops its automatic brewing-pressure adaptation system known as SBS.

• 1999

  Gaggia is acquired

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  SAECO acquires the historic Italian espresso brand Gaggia.

• 1996

  Cappuccinatore is introduced

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduces its cappuccinatore system for automated preparation of cappuccino and other milk-based drinks.

• 1985

  Superautomatica launches

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  SAECO introduces Superautomatica, described as the first completely automatic espresso machine for domestic use.

• 1981

  SAECO is founded

  [1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  Sergio Zappella and Arthur Schmed establish the company in Italy under the name Sergio, Arthur e Compagnia.

Italian coffee heritage combined with automated preparation, beverage customization and convenient home or professional espresso service. The brand has historically occupied the mid-to-premium consumer segment and also serves commercial coffee environments.

• Domestic super-automatic espresso machine · 1985

  Superautomatica

  Introduced in 1985, Superautomatica was SAECO's foundational automatic domestic espresso machine. It represented the company's effort to integrate core espresso-making steps into a single appliance, reducing the need for separate preparation and specialist technique. The product is historically important because it helped define SAECO's long-term association with automated home espresso.

• Premium super-automatic espresso machine

  SAECO Xelsis

  Xelsis is a premium automatic espresso-machine family associated with extensive drink customization and automated preparation. The range is designed for users who want bean-to-cup operation, espresso and milk-based beverages, and a more configurable home coffee experience. It represents SAECO's higher-end consumer positioning.

• Super-automatic espresso machine

  SAECO Incanto

  Incanto is a consumer automatic coffee-machine family built around convenient espresso preparation from coffee beans. Products in the line are associated with integrated grinding and brewing, allowing users to prepare espresso-style drinks through a simplified appliance workflow. The family has been one of the recognizable names in SAECO's domestic portfolio.

• Compact super-automatic espresso machine

  SAECO PicoBaristo

  PicoBaristo is a domestic bean-to-cup machine family aimed at compact convenience and drink variety. It combines automated coffee preparation with the ability to make multiple espresso and milk-based beverages. The line illustrates SAECO's attempt to bring a broad café-style menu into a relatively accessible household format.

• Connected super-automatic espresso machine · 2013

  SAECO GranBaristo Avanti

  GranBaristo Avanti is an automatic espresso machine announced in 2013 with Bluetooth connectivity. Its significance lies in extending SAECO's established automation proposition into connected appliance operation, allowing digital interaction in addition to integrated grinding, brewing and beverage preparation.

• Commercial coffee equipment

  SAECO Professional coffee machines

  The professional portfolio covers coffee machines for commercial and workplace environments, including automated equipment intended for beverage service outside the home. This business was separated from Philips in 2017 and transferred to N&W Global Vending, later renamed Evoca Group. Production remained connected with SAECO's historic site in Gaggio Montano.

• 2017

  Divest professional coffee-machine divisionM&A

  Background

  Philips reorganized its coffee-machine activities and separated the professional business from the domestic division.

  Action taken

  Philips sold the SAECO professional division, including the professional Gaggia activities, to N&W Global Vending.

  Aftermath

  N&W later became Evoca Group, while the domestic business moved through Philips's consumer-appliance structure into Versuni.

  Source

• 2013

  Announce GranBaristo AvantiProduct launch

  Background

  Connected-home technologies were becoming more relevant to consumer appliances, creating an opportunity to extend automatic coffee preparation beyond physical controls.

  Action taken

  SAECO announced the Bluetooth-enabled GranBaristo Avanti.

  Aftermath

  The product became an example of SAECO's move toward connected operation while retaining its focus on automated espresso preparation.

  Source

• 2009

  Accept Philips acquisition offerM&A

  Background

  Philips was already active in household coffee systems, including the Senseo platform, while SAECO contributed specialized espresso-machine expertise.

  Action taken

  The SAECO board agreed to Philips's purchase offer, subject to shareholder and banking approvals; the brand subsequently became part of Philips.

  Aftermath

  SAECO operated within Philips from July 2009 and was frequently presented as Philips Saeco.

  Source

• 1999

  Acquire GaggiaM&A

  Background

  SAECO was expanding its position in espresso equipment and sought to add the heritage and product identity of an established Italian espresso brand.

  Action taken

  SAECO acquired Gaggia, bringing the historic espresso brand into its business portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition broadened SAECO's brand holdings and connected it with both domestic and professional espresso-machine activities.

  Source

• 2017

  Philips sells SAECO professional division to N&W Global Vending[1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Philips sold the professional coffee-machine division, including the professional Gaggia activities, to N&W Global Vending.

• 2017

  N&W Global Vending changes name to Evoca Group[1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  N&W Global Vending adopted the name Evoca Group in November 2017. The renamed group became associated with SAECO's professional coffee-machine business.

• 2013

  GranBaristo Avanti introduces Bluetooth connectivity[1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  SAECO announced the GranBaristo Avanti, a coffee machine incorporating Bluetooth-enabled operation and connected control.

• 2009

  SAECO board agrees to Philips acquisition offer[1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The SAECO board agreed to a purchase offer from Philips, subject to shareholder and banking approvals. The transaction later placed the SAECO brand within Philips's coffee and consumer-electronics portfolio.

• 2009

  Philips completes ownership transition of SAECO[1]Saecoen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  From July 2009, SAECO belonged to Philips and was frequently marketed in association with the Philips name as Philips Saeco.

1. 1Saecoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2SAECO official websitesaeco.com