Today, Illycaffe sells its products in more than 130 countries around the world.

CNN: Italy must adapt to survive, Illy boss warns

Instead, coffee companies such as illycaffe and Hausbrandt, a rival based in Treviso near Venice, have developed electronic detection systems.

ECONOMIST: Espresso coffee

Illycaffe's scanners can assess 400 beans every second.

ECONOMIST: Espresso coffee

Andrea Illy, CEO of Trieste-headquartered Illycaffe, told CNN his country's woes would be "just the beginning of our problems" unless its businesses learned to compete in the international marketplace -- something they had largely failed to do.

CNN: Italy must adapt to survive, Illy boss warns