Coffee king Dean Merlo prepares for a roasting

Brisbane coffee king Dean Merlo has just dropped an incredible amount of money on a new coffee roasting machine.

BEAN COUNTING

BRISBANE coffee king Dean Merlo is not letting a little thing like a global pandemic get him down.

The founder of Merlo Coffee has purchased a multi-million dollar coffee roasting machine from Italy that will triple the amount of beans processed at the company’s Eagle Farm HQ.

Merlo, which runs a wholesale coffee business as well as a chain of 15 cafes, has seen solid growth during the pandemic as more people worked from home and suburban coffee shops became hang out joints for the local community.

Merlo has recently hired former Goodman Fielder executive David Holt as general manager to oversee the next stage of the company’s growth.

Dean Merlo. Photographer: Liam Kidston

Holt says there has been a surge in online sales since the start of the pandemic with a definite shift to people buying coffee in the suburbs as people worked from home.

He says the new roasting machine will quadruple the roasting capacity of the company and underpin further growth in the business.  Merlo was looking to expand its cafe chain as part of that expansion and also attract a younger demographic.

He said he was excited to be joining a strong, iconic brand with a focus on torrefazione, or local roasting. “Coffee is such a strong advanced industry in this country and extremely competitive,” Holt says.

NO SHOW

COVID-19 has resulted in most events changing the way they are run, but last night’s Lord Mayor’s Business Awards featured the biggest change - no Lord Mayor.

Adrian Schrinner remained locked in home quarantine with his family and cat as the best and brightest business minds mingled at the glitzy annual City Hall event.

Cr Schrinner, who was forced into quarantine after travelling to South Australia for the Capital City Lord Mayor’s AGM earlier this month, sent a video message to the event.

EATERIES HAMMERED

SEVERAL restaurants have collapsed into liquidation as COVID-19 continues to run a sledgehammer through the city’s hospitality sector. On Wednesday Yam Noodle, trading as Singapore & Co and Yum Cha & Co, was put into liquidation.

The company previously traded the Singapore & Co Asian restaurant on Albert Street and it is understood related entities operated two more restaurants at Eight Mile Plains and Sunnybank.

“We’re just in the process of collecting the books and records of the company,” HH Advisory liquidator Shahin Hussain said. Singapore & Co specialised in Asian cuisine and Singaporean dishes with its menu spanning more than 50 dishes.

Tough times for eateries.

Mr Hussain said whether the company owes money to creditors is not yet known, but would form part of his investigation. The liquidation however is the latest in a growing list for troubled eateries.

This month George Street’s LR Sushi also collapsed owing five creditors $168,570.

Director Yao Huang launched the company one year ago and secured rave reviews before it was put under on November 16.

ANZ is the largest creditor, owed $98,745, according to a financial report on the company.

Asian food services provider NTC Wisemettac Australia is out-of-pocket $41,823 while Westpac Banking Corporation is also owed $28,000.

These liquidations are the latest in a torrid few months for Brisbane businesses.

In September Brisbane Square’s Communal Bar and Eat House went under owing a staggering $754,370 after it was hit hard when COVID-19 shut offices and left the CBD almost empty.