One of a set of four small coffee cups with saucers in white with thin gold trim. Both cup and saucer are decorated in burgundy with the logo of the black bellboy carrying a serving tray with bags of coffee on it, 6 x 11 cm. Laikon Kafekopteion (Greek: Λαϊκόν Καφεκοπτείον), known officially in English as People's Coffee Grinding Co Ltd, is the oldest and most recognised traditional coffee producer in Cyprus. The company was founded in Nicosia in 1948 by a cooperative group of professional coffee shop keepers (kafetzithes). During the post-WWII British colonial period, coffee was heavily restricted under a strict quota system. To secure a stable, affordable, and prompt supply of raw coffee beans, these café owners pooled their resources to acquire a green coffee import license. The company started with humble beginnings: a second-hand manual roaster, a used ground millstone, and a single bicycle for local distribution. Six people (three men and three women, including a Turkish Cypriot worker) were the initial staff. The brand built widespread trust quickly. By 1955, the cooperative expanded to over 4,300 shareholders and moved into its own dedicated facility in the Kaimakli suburb of Nicosia, swapping out bicycles for a distribution fleet. Over the decades, Laikon Kafekopteion expanded beyond traditional Cypriot coffee into confectionery, snacks, and frozen goods. In 2002, Laikon Kafekopteion merged with industrial printer Printco and wine/spirits manufacturer LOEL (famous for Zivana LOEL) to establish the Laiko Group, forming one of the largest commercial conglomerates on the island. Today, its coffee division continues to operate under Laiko Manufacturing Ltd, producing its staple "golden coffee of Cyprus" (Kafes Laikou), ready-to-drink El Café, and Luno espresso.
mmr_00551 > Laikon Coffee cup and saucer, Ceramic, 6x11 cm, 20th century
You can see this exhibit up close, along with many others, in the 3rd-floor exhibition room of CVAR.
