Phil Di Bella on Italian Week

PERKS OF THE JOB
They told him he was arrogant to think a Queenslander could break into the Melbourne coffee market, but that only spurred on Phil Di Bella. “We now have our coffee in 100 outlets in Victoria, and we’re adding 10 new ones every month,” he says, at his busy roasting house at Bowen Hills.” Phil, whose eponymous brand of beans is served in 900 premises across Australia in a business estimated to be worth $20 million, puts his success down to customer service. “I’m not a brain surgeon, but I understand sales and marketing and the importance of having a
consistent product that is readily available at a good price.” Phil espouses a “crop-to-cup”
philosophy, and his travels to Italy and Papua New Guinea have given him an intimate
knowledge of coffee growing, roasting and blending. “We don’t just sell coffee,” he says,
“we show people how to make it.” In addition to its regular coffee education program, Di Bella is conducting specialised workshops as part of Italian Week (www.italianweek.com.au). The Ultimate Coffee Experience (10amnoon) and Barista Skills (2-4pm) will run on Monday (May 26) and Thursday (May 29). Each session costs $20. Ph: 3252 5858.