#ARMY NEWS AAFCANS has partnered with Australian veteran-owned coffee supplier Beraldo Coffee, locally roasted in Melbourne. The Beraldo family have a large roasting plant at Heidelberg, a café and event space located in Northcote where they first started the business. Now distributed across the AAFCANS network of coffee outlets on 26 ADF bases, Beraldo will also support AAFCANS with an ongoing program of professional barista training for the local café team.
The ADF connection in the Beraldo family is strong – three generations have served and are proud to now be serving the ADF with their brew. Vietnam veteran Paul Beraldo, the founder of the brand, served in 6RAR, D Coy, 11 Pl. Italian-born Paul immigrated to Australia at the age of four with his mother and sister in 1952, post-WWII. His father arrived two years prior. Growing up, he never forgot his roots in Treviso, Italy, and the culture of coffee drinking. At 19 years old, and being faced with an imminent return to Italy for compulsory military service, Paul joined the Australian Army.
He fondly remembers his early interactions with the service canteen, in 1969 at Nui Dat, Vietnam. During that time the canteen service was known as ASCO – the Australian Service Canteen Organisation. “I remember coming into ASCO canteen – our platoon had been out on patrol for six weeks straight. We got back to base and made a bee-line for supplies,” he said.
“We got served really quickly because we cleared the canteen with our potent smell. It was well known and appreciated that we were welcome inside in any condition.” In 1993, Paul opened his first company with the help of now semi-retired master roaster Vittorio Chiodo. Mr Chiodo trained Paul and his sons, Mark and Daniel, to roast coffee. Daniel now heads the operations and continues the family’s passion for great coffee. Tpr Mark Beraldo, of 4/19LHR, has been a reservist since 2004 and is a police officer for the Victorian Police Force.
Their pa, William Costelow, served in the CMF home guard, 148 Australian General Transport Coy – which, during WWII, operated out of Mt Isa running supply lines through the outback from Alice Springs to Darwin. “I am so proud of my dad and brother,” Daniel said. “As well as dad’s ongoing work in the Vietnam veterans community. “My family have worked hard to continue what dad started and built, and have worked to transform the brand into a contemporary coffee offering.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to be able to share this experience with our extended ADF family and veteran community.” In celebration of the coffee partnership, AAFCANS has a national prize on offer. Three lucky winners will get their favourite brew, made just the way they like it, free – every day for a year! Simply purchasing a coffee qualifies entry into the prize draw. The promotion opens February 8 and runs through to early April, with the three winners to be announced in mid-April.
