Ernesto Illy (July 18, 1925 – February 3, 2008) was an Italian food chemist and businessman, known as the chairman of the Illycaffè S.p.A. coffee manufacturer.
Born in Trieste, Illy was the son of the Hungarian-Italian chocolate maker Francesco Illy, a World War I officer, who had established the espresso making company in 1933.
Ernesto studied chemistry at University of Bologna (1947) and immediately joined Illy, and later took over the company from his father (1956).
Ernesto created a high-tech manufacturing process, specializing in the making of espresso coffee, for which he also was an evangelist.
Ernesto Illy took part in the establishment of Association Scientifique Internationale pour le Café (chairman, 1991-).