After many decades in the demanding meat trade, most people would be ready to sit back and enjoy their retirement. Not Eusebio Marcocci OAM, founder of University Food Group, who still commands an office at the company’s North Melbourne HQ and keeps a keen eye on the business now managed by his sons Maurizio and Loui.

As University Food Group celebrates its 65th year, Eusebio reflects on a journey that began as a penniless teenager arriving in Australia from war-torn Italy, growing one butcher shop into an enterprise of over 40 outlets, then evolving again into a major player in wholesale meat, ready-cooked meals and coffee machine supply and servicing sectors.

A new beginning

The youngest of 10 children, Eusebio was born in the mountainside village of Filetto in Abruzzo, Italy. With no schools within reach and the country devastated by war, many villagers emigrated – including 13-year old Eusebio and three of his brothers, who arrived in Australia in 1956.

As a new Australian young Eusebio endured racism and bullying, and he left high school to pursue butchery like his older brothers. In 1960 with a business partner he opened his first butcher shop, University Meat, near Melbourne University in the inner-city suburb of Carlton.

Although that partnership did not work out, Eusebio was undeterred and went on to form new partnerships, which helped University Meat grow from one outlet in Carlton to 49 retail butcher shops all over Melbourne.

An innovator and disrupter

Fuelling this growth was Eusebio’s knack for adapting each store to suit the local population. For example in Footscray, Sunshine, Springvale, and Richmond he had Vietnamese managers who knew the cuts and products the Vietnamese community preferred, and could speak to customers in their native language.

His marketing nous was also apparent in how he presented the stores. “I always presented the meat properly,” he reflects. “Like you were reading a book, everything was on one level and easy to see.”

Eusebio explains that at the time the meat was presented on large trays in several layers.

“So I bought all small trays and presented smaller amounts of meat on the tray. I could pull one tray out to show the customer, and let them choose the piece they wanted. It worked really well.”

Throughout his career, Eusebio was a disrupter and innovator. He opened his stores earlier and closed later to accommodate working customers, he used salt on the floor instead of sawdust because it looked nicer, was easier to clean, and cheaper. He was the first to stop using preservatives in fresh meat, and the first to install the state of the art refrigeration and cleaning technologies. All these innovations were noticed and copied by his competitors.

“The big companies all came and had a look when I was in Carlton, I was the talk of the town!” he says. “I was the first one to have the cool room up to a high standard. In the 1980s I had all the big fellows come and look, they were peeking around the door.”

Adapting and evolving

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the landscape changed forever for butcheries, when the major supermarkets began selling meat at loss-leading prices. As University Meat’s retail business became unviable, Eusebio focused more on the foodservice market.

“I was the preferred supplier for all the big hotels,” he says. “The Southern Cross Hotel, The Hilton, The Chevron, we supplied them all.”

The last University Meat retail outlet in Hawthorn closed in the early 200s but Eusebio didn’t miss a beat. By then the company was a major player in the wholesale market. “My mentor was a chef, Claudio Magris. He taught me what chefs wanted and all about the foodservice business.”

Giving back

It was through chefs like Claudio that Eusebio became involved in chef organisations and competitions, supporting Australian teams in prestigious global contests. He was a generous donor and fundraiser, a legacy that continues today in University Meat’s Platinum Sponsorship of Bocuse d’Or Australia.

On a more personal level, following their son Maurizio’s diagnosis with leukaemia, the Marcoccis were one of three families to establish ‘My Room,’ to raise funds to renovate The Royal Children’s Hospital’s cancer ward. Eusebio has fond memories of their first fundraiser at Melbourne Town Hall, where they had catered for 500 people, but 600 turned up. “I said, don’t turn anyone away, we’ll feed them all!”

Today, My Room is a high profile organisation that has raised over $33 million over the past 31 years to improve the quality of life for children and families affected by childhood cancer across Australia. Eusebio received an Order of Australia Medal in 2005 for his philanthropic achievements.

The next generation

Fortunately Maurizio made a full recovery and is now Chairman of My Room as well as a Director of University Food Group. He was instrumental in starting the coffee side of the business, Service Sphere, after spending time in Italy completing a master’s in commerce and economics.

Meanwhile his older brother and fellow director Loui saw an appetite for quality ready cooked meat products and established Country Cooked, now in demand for healthcare and foodservice kitchens. Loui’s daughter Audrey, who is qualified in food science and technology, is also a valued team member.

Now comprising University Meat, Country Cooked and Service Sphere, University Food Group has 150 employees and is building a new headquarters in a purpose-built facility in Newlands Road, Coburg North.

Throughout this epic journey, Eusebio has stayed true to his philosophy of integrity, passion, growth, predictability and customer service. His values are continued through the next generations, with the mantra ‘We serve to serve again’.