History, heart and one very good cup of coffee: Celebrating the legacy of Merlo
Do you know what goes into your cup of coffee? We’re not talking about beans or milk – we’re talking about history. Merlo is one of Australia’s largest independent roasters, its blue-hued branding found on the shelves at more than 1500 cafes nationally. But the brand’s legacy stretches back decades, to humble beginnings that set the tone for a legacy built around social enterprise, community and, yes, plenty of caffeine.
Queensland’s coffee scene and the Merlo name are deeply intertwined.
Did you know that the state’s very first espresso machine was brought to Australia by Gino Merlo? With his gleaming La San Marco machine, Gino helped introduce locals to Italian espresso culture at his seminal establishment Café Milano – an early pioneer of what is now a vibrant caffeine scene.
Alongside his wife Mary, Gino also made history with his follow-up – the silver-service restaurant Milanos, which served world leaders and locals alike and was renowned for its high-end hospitality.
With a blue-chip pedigree set from inception, it’s no wonder that Gino’s son, Dean, has been able to parlay that pioneering spirit into one of Australia’s most successful coffee brands. Raised around coffee and hospitality, Dean was practically born with a savvy sense of service. While he initially embarked on a career as a lawyer, the call of the cafe was too strong to resist – and so in 1992 he opened a small espresso bar in the heart of Brisbane City.
“I was in the law field for a couple of years, but I always had a coffee business in my mind,” says Dean. “I loved coffee; I loved the idea of it. And I’d been in America, and I’d been around trying different business ideas and came across this amazing chain of cafes.
“I thought, ‘You know what, there have never been cafes at the bottom of city buildings,’ and so that’s when I came back and started 344 Queen Street – our very first store.”
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The rest, as they say, is history. Dean built a coffee empire from scratch, expanding the portfolio to include the first Merlo Coffee Torrefazione (Italian for ‘roasting house’) in 1996, where he began sourcing quality coffee beans and experimenting with blends and roasting profiles.
Merlo has blossomed considerably since those early days. The operation now encompasses 16 of its own locations (in addition to its nationwide network of wholesale clients), including its head office and main roasting facility in Eagle Farm, plus its flagship torrefazione in Bowen Hills.
In the last financial year, Merlo roasted nearly 1 million kilograms of coffee (the equivalent of approximately 50 million cups of coffee). Behind this eye-popping statistic is the fact that all the coffee beans roasted were sustainably sourced from quality farms around the world. As part of the Rainforest Alliance sustainable coffee program, Merlo works to protect ecosystems by supporting coffee production that is more harmonious with local wildlife.
Merlo’s scale is matched only by the diversity of its offering. The roaster produces eight unique blends, each boasting a distinctive flavour. Its flagship espresso roast is a versatile all-rounder crafted from five world-class Arabica origins, with its full-bodied flavour helping make it a top seller around the country.
The brand’s range also includes nine single-origin beans, alongside limited-edition releases available through its Bean of the Month program.
Subscribe for updatesBeyond its global coffee operations, Merlo’s social enterprise endeavours are also strongly linked to the local community. Since 2014, Merlo has been a key partner of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation. The relationship with the Foundation is a personal one for the Merlo family – Gino was one of the inaugural members of its board.
“We had an affinity with The Prince Charles Hospital because my sister was an asthmatic as a child and she was admitted there a couple of times and I think they had a soft spot for the hospital,” says Dean.
“I was only young, maybe 9 or 10 years old, so it was a big thing if your other sibling goes to hospital. And so, when the foundation approached dad, he put his hand up.”
With Merlo’s support, the Foundation has received product donations, team training, support for fundraising events and coffee supplied at a reduced price – contributions worth more than $1 million in total.
“[Merlo’s] investment has helped support incredible research into areas like rejuvenating donor hearts, advancing the future of artificial heart technology, and improving the early detection of dementia,” says The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation’s chief financial and commercial officer, Vincent McFarlane.
“That’s a pretty remarkable legacy for a cup of coffee.”
Merlo as is also an avid supporter and partner of Brisbane sporting events. Attending and serving delicious coffee at large events like the 2025 BMW PGA Championship Brisbane and the Brisbane Cycling Festival earlier this year.
Though Merlo is a major player in Australia’s coffee industry, there’s still a small-business mindset that keeps the roaster grounded. From a single espresso machine to millions of cups served each year, the Merlo story is one of evolution without losing sight of its origins.
More than three decades after Dean opened that first espresso bar on Queen Street, the family’s love of coffee continues to fuel a business that remains proudly Queensland at its core.
This article is written in partnership with our friends at Merlo.
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