Merlo Coffee on how the industry can further tap into the potential of women and the innovation they contribute.
In challenging times, adversity often sparks creativity and innovation. While pressures such as that of soaring green coffee prices can be tough, they also present an opportunity for growth and reinvention.
Companies that thrive during such periods are the ones that embrace change, develop new revenue streams, and use creativity to problem solve. Nic Fry, Chief Marketing Officer at Merlo Coffee, says it’s through the lens of innovation and adaptability that the industry can navigate difficult circumstances and emerge stronger.
While much attention is given to the usual trends and demographics, there’s one group that’s often overlooked yet holds untapped potential for innovation. Nic says this group is women. She believes building a community with inclusivity at the helm of leadership is crucial, as one of the most important elements of great innovation is diversity of thought.
“You can’t build great innovation without women in the room helping to shape it. Women are typically great innovators because of the soft skills they bring, such as observation and listening skills. From a diversity perspective, having different people in the room leads to better innovation,” says Nic.
This philosophy has guided Merlo’s strategy for March, in celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March. In a notable move, the roaster’s Bean of the Month came from Café Femenino – a cooperative of women-owned farms in Peru.
The bag featured an image of Pachamama, the Incan goddess of fertility, holding the flavour notes of the beans, to honour the 2000 women in the cooperative and those across the industry.
What’s more, on 14 and 15 March, Merlo donated 50 cents from every coffee sold to Women’s Legal Services Queensland, a not-for-profit organisation that provides legal advice, support, and assistance in domestic and family violence, family law, child protection and sexual assault cases. The company plans to establish an ongoing partnership with the organisation.
The initiative tied in with Merlo’s industry event, Boardroom Brunch, held on 28 March to celebrate women in the industry, but more importantly, to open the conversation on how to collectively problem solve. The event focused on celebrating women in the industry, inspiring each other by sharing solutions to challenges, and learning from one another’s impact.
“We invited women leaders from across the coffee ecosystem – café owners, our wholesale partners, women in our equipment partnership with San Remo, and representatives from Women’s Legal Services. The idea was to start building a community for women in the coffee industry so we can work together to find solutions,” says Nic.
“We want to encourage live conversations within the coffee industry that focus on community and collaboration.”
In wholesale, conversations are often centred on the basics such as the quality of beans, machines, and service availability. But Nic says there’s much more value that can be provided beyond this.
“There’s so much opportunity to exchange value in areas beyond the traditional aspects, especially as margins get tighter and running a business becomes more challenging. The goal is to support businesses in staying afloat and thriving, even in challenging times,” she says.
“At our Women’s Day brunch, many of the heads at Merlo are women, and they offered insights into scaling a business, HR challenges, finance strategies, and more. They also coached café owners on marketing their business, improving their social presence, and building a network.”
According to Nic, building community will be key, and involving everyone in the conversation – especially women – is essential.
“The key is collective problem solving – agreeing on the most important issues and creating small workgroups or communities to address them for the benefit of the entire industry. Right now, it feels very siloed,” she says.
One thing Nic’s noticed is that women leaders often bring a unique level of passion, authenticity, and honesty to the table to create an environment in which people feel comfortable having open and honest conversations. She says this is where the power of women in the industry lies – in their ability to create spaces where tough, real discussions can happen.
“I believe women bring a unique perspective, and I’m aiming to approach marketing in a more human-centric way. In the coffee industry, especially in ads, there’s often a focus on machines, brewing processes, and coffee bags, with little emphasis on human connection or storytelling. For me, it’s about celebrating the people in the industry and the partnerships we create,” says Nic.
As demonstrated by the Boardroom Brunch, Nic emphasises the importance of communicating human-to-human, rather than relying on impersonal emails or letters. She believes hosting conversations about what’s happening, explaining why these changes are necessary, and stressing the importance of working together to stay resilient during challenging times is key.
Nic says this approach goes beyond two-dimensional communication to enable real and productive engagement.
“A lot is going to change, and it’s important that we keep the spirit of the coffee industry alive, especially for cafés,” says Nic. “We need to provide solutions to keep people coming into cafés while also adapting to new circumstances.”
For more information, visit merlo.com.au
This article appears in the April/May 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
