Coffee king and Brisbane rich lister says cafes will soon go broke
Bowen Hills-based Coffee Commune owner Phillip Di Bella has warned that it is only a matter of months before cafes go broke.
With customer numbers plummeting due to Covid fears, the Coffee King says that the current situation for the hospitality sector was worse than it was during 2020 when there were tough lockdowns and restrictions in place.
“We supply to about 850 cafes and other outlets and half of those have seen their turnover and foot traffic plummet by between 50 and 70 per cent,” says Di Bella.
“A lot of businesses will not survive the next six months.”
In November, Di Bella said that his company would abide by the vaccination laws but it would not have the resources to police it.
“The Coffee Commune will be an authority for its members to ensure they know and understand what the legislation means for them,” he said at the time.
Di Bella, a Brisbane rich-lister who was recently named Business Person of the Year at the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, says politicians and public servants “have not taken any pay cuts in the last two years,” and they have been insulated from the impact of the pandemic.
Irit Jackson, 26th January 2022
