Veneziano Coffee Roasters launches its Melbourne Airport café, moving to increase brand exposure and bring the quintessential Melbourne coffee culture airside.
The dreaded wait at the airport before an interstate flight departs has just gotten a whole lot more enjoyable for those leaving Victoria from Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine. Long- standing coffee roaster Veneziano Coffee Roasters now has a café in Qantas Terminal 1 to keep travellers caffeinated.
“To be able to serve the 9.2 million people that pass-through Terminal 1 annually is a huge branding exposure opportunity for us. Airports are the gateways to the global community, who are absolutely our customer base,” says Veneziano Coffee Roasters CEO Craig Dickson.
“Melbourne Airport is eager to showcase brands that intrinsically represent Melbourne, and we’re excited to be a part of that. It used to be really difficult to get a good coffee at the airport, but now with the help of a few other iconic cafés, we can be a part of the transition to high-quality coffee and dining experience. Our purpose is to improve everyday lives, so we love the idea of sending people off on their journey with the best coffee they’ve ever had.”
This was made possible due to a strategic and mutually beneficial partnership with food and beverage outlet company SSP. Craig says the collaboration merges SSP Australia’s dedication to excellence in the travel dining industry with Veneziano Coffee Roasters’ expertise in crafting superior coffee.
“Veneziano has always been a leader in the specialty coffee industry, so to share our renowned coffee quality with the world through a partnership with another industry leader like SSP is really exciting,” says Craig.
Jonathan Robinson, CEO of SSP Asia Pacific, says the addition of Veneziano Coffee Roasters to its portfolio of premium outlets in Melbourne Airport signifies its commitment to offering world-class experiences to travellers.
“Their reputation for exceptional coffee aligns perfectly with our mission to offer only the best to our patrons,” Jonathan says.
The café, which officially opened in October 2023, will feature Veneziano Coffee Roasters’ Elevate blend as its house blend. The coffee is a medium body, velvety all- rounder that pairs well with or without milk, including notes of milk chocolate, cashews, spice and a honey finish.
“Elevate is a customer-favourite due to its consistency in the cup, so it was a no-brainer to serve this coffee as our house blend,” Craig says. “We will also have our entire retail range available, along with our monthly rotation of single origins, cold brew range, filter taps and espresso martinis if you need a pick-me-up before a late flight.”
The coffee will be ground by a Mahlkönig E80S grinder and extracted with a four- group La Marzocco Linea PB. Milk-based drinks will be prepared by the Übermilk milk frother.
Beverages can be paired with an in- house dining menu, including the roaster’s signature chilli scramble dish featuring chorizo crumb, crispy sage and chilli scrambled eggs on sourdough toast.
“The airport menu is reminiscent of the classic dishes available at our café in Richmond. We have started with a quick short-order menu before rolling out the full kitchen in the new year,” Craig says.
Veneziano Coffee Roasters Brand Strategist Sarah Eagles says the 157-square metre space, with a capacity of 55 seats, reflects the ethos of the brand’s flagship store in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, which features a sustainable in- house roastery, café and limited-edition blends.
“We’ve pulled some core elements from our Richmond café, like our trademark blue finishings and bright, open space, to create free-flowing movement – but it’s quite different from anything we’ve ever done. We want each of our venues to have their own individual vibe,” Sarah says.
“It’s a much more refined, sophisticated feel and fits in really well with the aesthetic of the Qantas precinct. The touches of copper and gold across a warm palette with concrete and timber materials are inherent to our brand. The roof even has battens across the ceiling that are individually lit which were inspired by the ribbons on our packaging and a subtle nod to the runway.”
Although Veneziano Coffee Roasters intends to increase its store count over the next few years, Craig is conscious of remaining a supporting player to its café customers.
“We don’t want to compete with our own customer base, we want to increase the Veneziano brand experience available to people across the country. We don’t have locations in Perth or Canberra yet, but we’re hoping to change that in the future,” he says.
“When it comes to our growth plans, the sky’s the limit.”
For more information, visit venezianocoffee.com.au
This article appears in the December 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
