Barista gives bean blending a shot

Published 7:30am 16 May 2021

If the launch event for a new coffee bean business is any indication, owner Anton Cavalli is onto a winner.

The Woody Point resident launched Cosa Nostra Coffee at Suttons Pavilion with the backing of coffee giant Phillip Di Bella last month and says he is already receiving orders from Victoria.

“We sold over $1000 in coffee beans at the event and made about 215 cups of coffee in two hours,” Anton says.

The idea for the business was born from adversity – Anton had been working as a barista when he broke his ankle and found himself unable to work.

“Then COVID hit and I lost my job,” he explains.

Guidance from a guru

Wanting to support his fiancé and her three children, Anton turned to Mr Di Bella for guidance.

“I’ve always been passionate about coffee – I’m Italian, so I grew up with it on the stove.

“I’d wanted to be a barista and mentioned it to a few people, and one of them told me Phillip Di Bella was coming to the chamber (of commerce) to give a speech – I met him and then went and got a barista qualification.

“After I broke my ankle, I got back in touch.”

Diagnosed with stage four bone cancer last year, Anton had hoped to start a coffee cart, but Mr Di Bella had other advice.

“Phil suggested I look into ecommerce – he said if I set it up right I could run it from my bed if I got sick again,” Anton laughs.

With the help of Mr Di Bella’s latest coffee venture, Coffee Commune, Anton spent weeks researching coffee bean combinations to create three bean blends – Kaders Remedy, Best Kept Secret and Smooth Operator.

“They’re imported from 30 different regions and the crema is thick, silky and golden,” he says of the beans used in Smooth Operator.