The value of talent.
Caffè Borbone and sport as a narrative of growth
Talent is never a starting point, but a journey that begins at home — in the local area where Caffè Borbone is most deeply rooted, as the leading single-serve coffee brand in Italy — and unfolds through countless obstacles and unseen moments that precede every achievement. It is with this perspective, far from the superficial celebration of results and closer to the authenticity of effort, that Caffè Borbone has chosen to support a number of sports projects across different disciplines.
In particular, in 2025 the company launched a structured project dedicated to winter sports in view of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, developing a narrative that focused not only on established champions, but also on emerging talents. Caffè Borbone brought together an exceptional team, led by two legendary “life coaches”, Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, and composed of seven athletes, each representing their own discipline: Federica Brignone (the most successful Italian alpine skier of all time), Robert Antonioli (ski mountaineering), René De Silvestro (Paralympic skiing champion), Arianna Fontana (a legend of short track), Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini (pair figure skating), and Lisa Vittozzi (biathlon).
This initiative led to the creation of a high-impact social media campaign, in which, sitting together over a coffee, Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni shared with the younger athletes the secrets of a legendary career. They offered guidance on how to face unexpected challenges during training and competition, maintain motivation in pursuit of new achievements — even after setbacks — and learn to challenge one’s limits with awareness. And who knows whether that shared coffee may have played a part in the many successes achieved by the Borbone Team athletes, who won six medals at the Olympic Games: two remarkable gold medals for Federica Brignone, who returned to competition after a serious injury; one gold in giant slalom and one silver in combined for René De Silvestro; one silver for Arianna Fontana (making her the most decorated Italian athlete in Olympic history); and one gold in the 10 km biathlon for Lisa Vittozzi.
The project also included opportunities for direct engagement with the public. Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba were key protagonists at gres art 671, the artistic and cultural hub promoted by Italmobiliare with Fondazione Pesenti, taking part in one of the events within the public programme of the exhibition “Fuoripista – Art, sport and winter”. The event was fully booked and also featured an unexpected appearance by champion Giorgio Rocca, who was among the audience and took part in an impromptu moment that was greatly appreciated by attendees.
The extinguishing of the Olympic flame did not mark the end of the project, which continues today, evolving into new forms of dialogue and engagement with the public. This is the case with “Fuorisalotto”, an initiative created by Caffè Borbone in Milan during Design Week.
In the heart of the Tortona District, Caffè Borbone created a true “home” open to the city: an immersive space where coffee became a shared experience and an opportunity for storytelling and connection. All of this is fully consistent with the brand’s new campaign, “A story of home”, which brings the narrative back to the place where many defining moments in our lives take place — often over a cup of coffee — shaping who we become. The Fuorisalotto also welcomed Alberto Tomba and Federica Brignone, who engaged with the public in an event that transformed two icons of Italian skiing into hosts for a day. Sitting on a sofa, far from the slopes and competitions, they spoke with fans and visitors, sharing experiences, memories and lesser-known aspects of their careers. A tangible opportunity to bring audiences closer to the stories and values embodied by sport, reminding us that every athlete’s journey inevitably begins at home.
At a time when many companies approach sport primarily as a vehicle for visibility, Caffè Borbone has chosen to focus on the stories behind the results. Because while a medal may represent the highest point of a career, it is the journey to achieve it that truly conveys the value of talent.
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