FRANK LARUSSO

Frank began his 32-year career with Lavazza & Mars within the M&M/MARS snack food group, where he navigated various roles in sales and marketing. Transitioning from the snack food industry, Frank spearheaded the project team tasked with analyzing the U.S. coffee market, leading to the launch of the FLAVIA® Beverage Systems business unit (later renamed Lavazza Professional) in 1995. He played a pivotal role in establishing FLAVIA® Beverage Systems and the FLAVIA® brand in North America. Subsequently, MARS Drinks underwent a name change and was acquired by Lavazza in December 2018.

Frank, equipped with an extensive marketing and management background, holds a BSBA from Boston University, an MBA from Drexel University, and a MDC from Cornell University in Management Development. His responsibilities extended to the Lavazza Partnership with the SHFM (Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management) as an Industry Advisory Board Member. Actively engaged in the coffee industry, Frank is a member of the National Coffee Association and Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). He served as a delegate for the 2021 RE:CO conference, volunteered for the 2022 RE:CO and 2022 SCA Expo, and delivered a lecture at the SCA Expo in 2023 on replicating the “”Café Experience.””

In February 2023, Frank conducted a Barista Certification workshop at the Cornell University Hospitality College. In 2022, he achieved the status of Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Authorized Specialty Coffee Trainer (AST), a prestigious certification held by only 128 individuals in North America. Recently, Frank earned the new SCA Café Diploma, requiring certification in sustainability, sensory evaluation, water quality, preventative maintenance, brewing, and barista skills.