Cruze brews success for decade in Cairns
WHEN Gilberto Risa’s friends heard about his plans to open a coffee shop 10 years ago, they told him it would never last.
But on Friday, the charismatic face of Cruze World Coffees will celebrate a decade behind the coffee machine.
Mr Risa said “high quality coffee, excellent customer service and great staff” was the secret to the business’ longevity.
The brand sells not only barista made brews, but roasted and ground coffee and beans from both its Grafton St and Cairns Central stores.
One of its drawcards is the ability to choose from a range of beans on the counters.
“We are reaching many Australians and tourists through multiple avenues – the two stores, online orders and wholesale suppliers,” Mr Risa said.
“I was born in an Italian family where coffee goes back four generations. It is a big part of our lives.
“We pride ourselves on excellent coffee served with friendly, personal service to every customer.
“We want to expand the Cruze Coffee brand with more stores and provide an opportunity for staff and other passionate Cruze Coffee lovers to join us.
“A new product is in the pipeline – Cruze coffee pods – which will make it even easier for everyone to have high quality coffee in their homes with the ability to buy these online and from supermarkets.”
THE Cairns Chamber of Commerce is confident changes the organisation has requested to the region’s designated area migration agreement – which include specialised jobs and include Cape York and the Torres Strait for the first time – will be implemented from April.
Migration manager Geoff Heath said throughout the five-year DAMA there were provisions to submit deeds of variation annually.
Among this year’s request for concessions was also an age concession.
“For the permanent visa pathway, we’ve asked that people can apply who are older than 45,” Mr Heath said.
“In a lot of occupations, people are just hitting their straps and building on experience at 45.
“Cape York and the Torres Strait will also be included in the designated area. They have even more challenges in attracting and retaining skilled and semi-skilled people.
‘‘And while it might not be big numbers expected in those regions, the impact per person is significant for those communities.”
Mr Heath said a wider variety of health roles were requested to be included in the DAMA scope, as well as marine biologists who interpret the reef, a role renamed marine environment interpreter.