Matthew Russo has come full circle, poised to open his first Coffee Treat cafe in beachside Sandringham.

Coffee Treat founder Chelsea Hayward has been a long term friend, and years ago the pair hatched plans for opening a coffee shop. 

“We used to talk about a hole-in-the-wall cafe idea – and Chelsea did it!” Matthew says.

And now he’s stepping up fulfil that long-held dream to own his own cafe as a Coffee Treat franchisee. It’s the culmination of years of friendship, helping Chelsea set up her new business, and the start of a new adventure.

Matthew has brought not only hospitality experience, but high level IT skills, to the hole-in-the-wall concept.

“I come from an information technology background, I was director of IT operations for a global software company,” he reveals.

His skills proved invaluable when Chelsea was setting up the business.

“I helped her by building the platforms for Coffee Treat, and could see she was creating a great business model.”

Finding the perfect location

When he started to feel restless in his corporate role, Matthew knew exactly what he wanted to do.

“Coffee Treat is going gangbusters in regional Victoria; now it’s going to echo this in a metro environment, and I wanted to be part of it,” he says.

Matthew bought the Sandringham business, which is set to open in early May 2026.

“The site is 100m from the beach, 70m on a ramp to the train station. Every morning commuters will be walking past,” he explains. 

He sees local competition in the affluent suburb as a positive to his new business.

“A couple of cafes is good, it brings more people to the area,” Matthew says.

He is clear the hole-in-the-wall business, which requires minimal cooking, is all about the morning trade with a focus on takeaway food and beverages.

“A lot of tradies want a coffee and a toastie, it’s all grab-and-go. And we’ve got the commuter trade too. So we will open at 5.30am and shut at 1.30pm.  The business model is all about turnover, and the site is perfect for that,” he says.

Training, support and great coffee

Matthew has already appointed a manager and a barista and he plans to be in-store every day to oversee the running of his new venture, and to step in to fill any gaps in staffing.

“I come from a big Italian family, so there are plenty of nieces and nephews keen to take on some casual hours!” he says.

“This is very different to IT and I’m excited, it will be a nice change of pace. I’ve worked in many restaurants and cafes throughout Melbourne; I love connecting and engaging with people, that sets the foundations for success.”

Another fundamental is great coffee.

“We have to get the coffee right, and I’m leveraging Chelsea’s experience and supplier contacts. She is taking me to see the coffee bean roasting to understand what imparts the flavour and why it is so popular,” he says.

Armed with his hospitality experience, and a degree in business and hotel management, Matthew is well placed to make the most of the new business opportunity.

It’s all backed up with strong franchisor support. Matthew says Chelsea’s expertise was vital in the location search, pinpointing key considerations such as a grease trap, a courtyard for waiting customers, and parking for delivery vans.

She also helped with the tender process for the cafe fitout and training.

“It’s really important to have a strong support system, and training is a part of this. Chelsea is training the team so we can be consistent in our service and our menu offer. 

“Chelsea gives you the template and connects you with people to help you create your own Coffee Treat success.

“I could have bought an existing business, but being part of this from the start is really great. I’m already thinking ahead to a second site!” Mathew reveals.