Coffee Lab

Melissa Caia: From Melbourne cafes to judging on the world stage

Mel Caia started working in her family’s café at a young age - probably too young, by her own admission. But young Mel Caia loved it. After a decade or so she took a break from the industry and started work as a coffee and gelato trainer at William Angliss Institute where she still teaches today. And then, in 2006 she got accredited to judge coffee competitions and has since adjudicated on dozens of national and international competitions, including the World Barista Championships. We’re very excited to welcome Melissa Caia to the Coffee Lab! Join the conversation - search "Coffee Lab podcast" on socials.

Jack Eydlish: Generations of flavour

S2E3 - Jack Eydlish initially trained as a pharmacist and has somehow ended up Joint General Manager of Maltra Foods, a proudly Australian-owned food and beverage contract manufacturing business. Maltra started in the mid 90s when Jack’s dad fortuitously partnered in a business providing drinking chocolate and chai powders to cafes around St Kilda. Today – 27 years later – Jack and his brother Roman run the business, which has over a hundred staff, manufactures thousands of products in Victoria and Queensland, and still caters to the café business but also partners with some of the world’s leading retail and food service businesses. We’re very excited to welcome Jack Eydlish, Joint General Manager of Maltra Foods to the Coffee Lab! Join the conversation - search "Coffee Lab podcast" on socials.

Andrew Baldry: Tips on flexible franchising

S2E2 - Just to the northwest of Noosa in Queensland, lies the small town of Gympie, population a bit over 50 thousand. It’s a far cry from the big, bustling, coffee metropolis that is Melbourne, population 5 million, some 2000km to the south. But that’s the journey today’s guest made, and the culture shock was real. We’re very excited to welcome Andrew Baldry, General Manager of Coffee Wholesale at Degani Australia, to the Coffee Lab! Join the conversation - search "Coffee Lab podcast" on socials.

Steve Plarre: How to keep a 120 year old business modern

S2E1 - When your dad’s a baker, his crazy hours mean you don’t get to see much of him as a kid. Which is why as soon as they could, Steve and Mike Plarre joined their dad at the bakery. A couple of 7 or 8 year olds covered in flour, doing anything they could to get involved. Fast forward a few decades and one of them is now the CEO, the other is the General Manager of Production at Plarre Foods, more commonly known as Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouses. We’re very excited to welcome Steve Plarre to the Coffee Lab! Join the conversation - search "Coffee Lab podcast" on socials.

Nick Ferrara: Why happiness should be the only measure of success

S1E6 - Nick Ferrara was born in Naples, Italy and studied engineering in Rome, before launching into a career in news publishing. He also worked with his mum in a not-for-profit aimed at dissuading young people from a life of organized crime, and at some point also started a wind farm with his mates. Then, with no real knowledge of English, and having never been on a plane before, he packed up and moved to Australia – a gutsy move. Today, he’s National Training Manager with one of the most recognizable names in coffee: Lavazza. We’re very excited to welcome Nick Ferrara to the Coffee Lab. Join the conversation - search "Coffee Lab podcast" on socials.