My Derthona Basket: Andrea Lattuada tells his story
A passion for basketball blossomed as a boy, when "at the age of six I started attending mini-basketball courses in Tortona, where I remained until I was fifteen. I then spent four years in Alessandria, " says Andrea Lattuada, " before returning to Derthona Basket, where I played in Serie D coached by Caenazzo and in C2 under the guidance of Armana, with whom we achieved promotion to C1. After the experience in Serravalle, I played again in Tortona in C1 with Iellini, then in Alessandria in B2 and finally ended my career at Derthona Basket ."
Andrea Lattuada
Of his long tenure as a player in the black and white jersey, Andrea remembers with particular pleasure and emotion the "semifinal of the 1994/95 championship against Aosta: it is a match that will remain indelible in my memory both for the enormous amount of people present at the Camagna and because I scored the last basket of the game on a counterattack".
Having put aside his basketball player persona, Lattuada has now embarked on a new professional path in the world of " coffee supply chain training: I am a trainer recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association, I have an academy in Rivanazzano Terme, and I can certify all the modules of the Coffee Skills Program. We also have a micro-roastery that roasts the highest quality coffees that we sell mainly abroad ."
Andrea's great passion for the world of coffee began during his university years, when "to pay for my studies I worked as a waiter and bartender in nightclubs. One evening I met the marketing manager of Brasilia, one of the largest coffee machine manufacturers at the time, who asked me if I was interested in starting a career in that field. In 2003, I won the Italian Barista Championship, and in recent years, together with my partner, I have dedicated myself to training people who participate in these events, which are part of the World Coffee Event ."
In addition to his training, Lattuada is also a consultant for several companies, including "Luckin Coffee, a rapidly expanding Chinese startup that will file for a public offering on Wall Street in May. Their goal is to beat Starbucks first in China and then in the rest of the world: I became their spokesperson and brand ambassador because in 2017 they were looking for a European, and Italian in particular, who could help them grow. Furthermore, since 2002 I have been a consultant for Milan Gold, another Chinese company ."
Even though work has gradually taken him away from Tortona, Andrea admits he always follows the results of the team, of which he is a partner with 9bar : among the most beautiful moments he remembers is the victory of the Italian Cup, which " I followed on television. It was beautiful to see the happiness of my former teammates and the moment when Luigino, probably the greatest Derthona Basket fan ever, lifted the Cup is indelible, which was the crowning achievement of a journey and a dream that began a long time ago . "
In Derthona's near future, Lattuada hopes to see ʺthe team promoted to Serie A: Tortona deserves it for the passion that is there and for the fact that it has built itself over timeʺ.
