Coffee
Established in 2002 and owned by Retail Food Group since 2014.
Company Ownership
Di Bella Coffee Supply Holdings Pty Ltd
AUS
Retail Food Group Ltd
owns 100% of Di Bella Coffee Supply Holdings Pty Ltd
AUS
Retail food franchising
One of Australia's largest retail food brand managers, franchisors and wholesale coffee roasters. RFG owns the Donut King, Brumby's Bakery, Michel's Patisserie, bb's cafe, Esquires, The Coffee Guy, Pizza Capers Gourmet Kitchen and Crust Gourmet Pizza franchise systems. Acquired Cafe2U and Gloria Jeans in 2014.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Jun 2024)
Praise
Criticism
Information
Di Bella Coffee Supply Holdings Pty Ltd
Praise
Criticism
Information
Rainforest Alliance certified products
This company sells Rainforest Alliance certified coffee. However this only represents a fraction of this company's total coffee sales. Rainforest Alliance certification has been dubbed 'Fairtrade light' by critics, as it offers producers no minimum price for their crop, and guarantees a minimum of just 30% of the product is certified.
Source: Rainforest Alliance
(2020)
Retail Food Group Ltd
Praise
Criticism
Information
3/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 3 (Advanced) in its 2024 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO
(2024)
Tax Hero in Australia
Between 2015 and 2018 this company paid $57.2 million tax on a total income of $640 million, earning the number 32 spot on Michael West's Top 40 Tax Heroes 2020. West calculated which of Australia's largest companies have paid the highest tax rates using three years of tax transparency data published by the Australian Tax Office.
Source: Michael West
(2020)
Unconscionable conduct settlement
In Dec 2022 ACCC has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from this company, who agreed to make payments to and waive historical debts of a number of affected current and former franchisees, in relation to the purchase of certain corporate stores by these franchisees. RFG will also pay $5 million to franchisees of Michel Patisserie stores who paid levies into that franchise's marketing fund between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2017. As a consequence, the parties have agreed to settle the proceedings which the ACCC commenced against RFG in December 2020, in relation to alleged unconscionable conduct and false and misleading representations made in its dealings with franchisees.
Source: ACCC
(2022)
Carbon tax price rise suggestion
In July 2012 the Retail Food Group was forced to issue a prompt apology after its managing director, Deane Priest - who has since resigned - wrote to Brumby's franchisees suggesting they lift their prices and 'let the carbon tax take the blame'. Brumby's escaped a hefty fine when the ACCC accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Retail Food Group that it would not engage in similar conduct in the future.
Source: news article
(2012)
Pending class action
A third law firm is preparing to launch a class action against this company for its failure to disclose troubles within its franchise network. Retail Food Group's market value more than halved in December 2017 when media reports of mistreatment of franchisees were first published.
Source: news article
(2018)
Class action settlement
In 2024 this company entered into a binding deed to settle the class action filed by some of its former franchisees. The settlement involves a dismissal of the proceeding by the applicant without RFG making any admission or payment.
However, as part of the agreement, RFG will release applicable members of the class action from historical debts alleged in the proceeding.
Source: news article
(2024)
No tax paid in 2018-19
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Jan 2021, this company was one of many local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2018-19. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO
(2022)
Company Details
Type:
Wholly-owned subsidiary
Contact Details
Address:
82 Abbotsford Rd, Bowen Hills, QLD, 4006, Australia
Freecall:
1800 332 163
Website: