Both our CEO Todd Hiscock and Director of Finance James McWilliam, together with Essential Coffee, have partaken in the CEO Sleepout over the years. Once again, Essential Coffee is proud to be associated with Vinnies CEO Sleepout Fundraiser Event and will help raise funds for our homeless. Behind every dollar is the potential to not only provide crucial assistance to people experiencing homelessness but to make inroads to addressing the very causes of homelessness with the aim of breaking the cycle permanently for as many people as possible

Are you someone who would turn your nose up at coffee made with powdered milk? Don’t be shy… let’s talk about perception in a minute. Or are you a big fan? In this story we’ll give you some examples of the benefits, talk about what our Essential Milk is made up of, and talk with our Head Roaster, Phil, about taste.

Master Chef’s favourite saying “we eat with our eyes”, applies to coffee in that we also drink with our eyes. But our perception of a product is often influenced by the media, and we have been lead to believe that convenience coffee is of a lesser quality than barista coffee.

But when was the last time you tasted a coffee from a self-serve automatic coffee machine? Yes, years ago it may have been less than desirable, but thanks to technology and product development, I bet we can blow you away with the taste and quality of a coffee from our Espresso Essential hand made Italian automatic machines! Yes we also supply and promote our French hand made Reneka barista machines, which we love, but not every business has the space or staff, so thankfully we can offer options for businesses that want automatic fresh bean coffee.

So what is our Essential Milk made up of? This powdered milk contains 94% milk solids, the balance of the 6% is made of dextrose derived from corn and anti-caking agent. These ingredients are added to help the milk flow freely.

Did you know that our Essential Milk is 99% fat free? The majority of the sugar in the product is natural sugar found in real milk called Lactose, this sugar is also found in fresh liquid milk at similar levels. Typically fat free milk has a slightly higher amount of sugar to compensate for the fat taken out.

An alternative to our Essential Milk – is our Premium Milk – which contains a more balanced nutritional offer of both fats and sugar content. The sugar per 100ml is slightly lower at 4.9g per 100ml which is more representative of fresh milk. Premium Milk is also a great option as it tastes more like traditional milk and is less sweet.

Our Head Roaster, Phil, often runs cupping sessions for our staff and customers, so has a good understanding and knowledge of flavour profiles. When asked about what makes a good milk coffee, Phil comments “85% of Aussies order a white coffee such as flat white, cappuccino, latte etc, so milk plays a big role in how coffee tastes. Our coffee blends which are made for our automatic coffee machines are roasted to suite the flavour profile of our Essential Milk powder options for a silky smooth taste.”

On 01 July 2016, 15 years since Essential Brands Group was established, the original co-founders Mike and Gayle Koolen have hung up their barista aprons and are retiring. Now having placed over 16,000 coffee and slush systems into the marketplace via a network of direct territories and franchise operators, the group’s focus is to be the customers’ first choice in all things coffee, and then some. The headquarters on the Gold Coast houses the main coffee roasting facility, and with another in London.

While it is the end of an era with the Koolen’s moving on, it is also an exciting new beginning as the business has been acquired by their current CEO, Todd Hiscock, together with a number of executives and investors, to lead Essential Brands Group into the future as Australia’s No.1 coffee solutions business. Todd joined Essential Brands Group as CEO mid-2015 which has equipped him with an extensive knowledge of all aspects of the business and has been instrumental in driving the broader strategic goals. When Todd commenced with the business, it employed 20 staff which has increased to more than 50, and collectively the network now employs over 100 people across Australia, New Zealand and its International associates.

In addition to acquiring the Essential Brands Group, the team have also purchased the Victorian master franchise effective from 04 July 2016. Todd comments “The purchase is consistent with our strategy of growth via organic means and acquisition. We will continue to engage with key stakeholders, suppliers, our franchisees, and our expanding strong customer base. “Our priority has, and continues to be, on building customer focused solutions in the coffee and beverage market.”

With their well-known brands such as Espresso Essential, I Luv Coffee and I Luv Slush; Essential Brands Group will soon change its name to the ‘Essential Coffee Group’. “The name change makes sense given our coffee focus”, says Todd.

Having recently signed a further 2 year commitment as naming rights sponsor of the Gold Coast RLFC, I Luv Coffee Burleigh Bears, Todd says “We strongly believe in supporting community sports organisations and healthy lifestyles, as well as larger national charities as part of our corporate giving program.” In line with this, Todd recently took part in the Gold Coast’s CEO Sleepout helping raise funds for the plight of the homeless.

The Executive Directors and CEO come to the Group with a vast array of commercial know-how and we take the opportunity to formally introduce them to you:

Todd Hiscock, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director
Todd Hiscock was admitted as a Solicitor in 1994 and as a Certified Practicing Accountant a few years later. He started his professional services career in business services, taxation and then later turned to business restructuring and corporate finance with Big Four Professional Services Firms, KPMG and then Ernst & Young. He next moved to Global Fortune 500 company Telstra where he worked across many roles including Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Strategy, Business Development, Sales, Marketing, and Product. In 2012 he took his first CEO role, running a market leading Australian PayTV company. After successfully growing and then selling that business, he commenced his role as CEO of the Gold Coast based international coffee solutions business Essential Brands Group.

Mark White: Chief Operations Officer, and Executive Director
Mark brings to Essential Brands 27 years of experience in senior executive and management roles working for small to large sized companies in Corporate Finance & Advisory services, Wholesale & Distribution, Health, Security, ICT Services, Telecommunications and Financial Services. He has worked in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Europe, USA, Canada, Asia and the Middle East.

Mark has worked in senior management, advisory and operational roles for Telstra, Hills Limited and KPMG. He was recently the Head of Corporate Development at Hills and a member of the senior leadership team that successfully transformed Hills from an Industrial Conglomerate to an Innovation & Technology company focused on managed solutions in security and health technologies. Prior to Hills, Mark was at Telstra for 12 years where his final role was Chief Operating Officer of Telstra’s Enterprise & Government business, a $4billion plus revenue business segment within Telstra with approximately $2.5billion in annual sales.

Mark’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Finance & Accounting at the University of New England and several post graduate diplomas and executive programs with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA), the Securities Institute of Australia (now FINASIA), the Australian Graduate School of Management, the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and the Institute of Company Directors of Australia (AICD). Mark is a member of ICAA, AICD and is a fellow of FINASIA.

James Cook: Chief of Sales & Marketing, and Executive Director
After an Article Clerkship, James started his professional career in 1996 being admitted as a Solicitor to both the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia. Following employment with medium and large legal firms in Australia and New Zealand, James moved away from the law to focus on other challenges. James has qualifications in simple and complex Commonwealth procurement engaging with industry, on the purchase, acquisition and introduction into use of millions of dollars’ worth of materiel and equipment. He looks forward to applying these skills within a customer focused coffee solutions business.

Marketing has always been a focus. James completed the marketing components of the Masters of Business Administration (Executive MBA), Australian Graduate School of Management in 2003, Dale Beaumonts Business Blueprint Course 2013 – 2014 and received a Prince’s Trust / RMIT Certificate in Small Business Course Scholarship in August 2015. He is currently enrolled in the Ryan Lévesque’s ASK Method online master class. In a dynamic space James takes every opportunity to monitor on-line and social media trends to achieve sales.
James has been an executive of an outdoor sporting equipment importer and looks forward to working in the FMCG Products and coffee industry. He has launched many new brands into the Australian market, implemented strategic partnership marketing agreements, conducted social proof campaigns via magazine reviews of core products and executed the development of both wholesale and direct online sales.

James McWilliam: Chief of Finance & IT, and Executive Director
Having an entrepreneurial farming family and completed an advanced diploma in Agri Business Management from Marcus Oldham Farm Management College and managed a 10,000 acre property in Central Queensland, James’ career in Finance took him away from the land. James brings more than 20 years’ experience in financial services and business management to Essential Brands Group, holding a Commerce Degree with Accounting, Finance and Marketing majors from Bond University, and a Master of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management. He is also currently studying for his Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) qualification.

After managing a large property development project in South East Queensland, James moved to the UK in the late 1990s to take up a senior management position with the Global Equities and Derivatives Division of UBS Warburg Dillon Reed. During this time James gained invaluable experience in staff management and all aspects of global financial markets. Following his 3 year stint in London, James returned to Sydney where he spent 10 years as a senior financial adviser with Ord Minnett whilst studying for his MBA. Whilst at Ord Minnett, James was headhunted by the Private Wealth Division of Macquarie Bank in 2009.

Having completed his MBA and spent more than a decade analysing the profitability of businesses large and small from every conceivable industry in his capacity as a stockbroker, James decided to make the move from Macquarie Bank into Mergers and Acquisitions with Lincoln Crowne in Sydney, after which James felt it was the right time to own his own business. In 2012 he purchased a national manufacturing business headquartered on the mid-north coast of NSW. This business grew significantly under management.

For all media and public relations enquiries, please contact:
Michelle Adams
GM Sales & Marketing
M: 0438 980 267 | 1300 324 111
E: michelle@ebg.com.au

Take advantage of the ATO’s small business incentive providing an immediate deduction for assets you start to use (or have installed ready for use) costing less than $20,000.

This $20,000 limit applies to each individual item, including a brand new coffee machine! Increasing the depreciation threshold will mean improved cash flow for small businesses. It encourages SMEs to bring forward investment in the assets they need to grow their business and service customers. This threshold also means small businesses spend less time tracking assets across years for tax purposes, thus cutting red tape and allows business owners to focus on running and growing their business.

If you are thinking about investing in an automatic or barista coffee machine for your business, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the new threshold pre 30 June! For a quote please call us on 1300 324 111 or email sales@ebg.com.au. We recommend you seek advice from your Accountant regarding what accelerated depreciation means for  your business.