Joe is used to the uncertainty of running a small business. But since Covid, ‘the whole world has changed’
Guardian AU
•Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:00:28 GMT
📰 What Happened
The Guardian profiled Joe Rechichi, CEO of the Cucina hospitality group, who runs a trio of Andiamo Trattoria venues across Sydney's inner west and says he is facing 'the worst trading conditions' of four decades in business. His story anchors a feature on Australia's 'tidal wave' of insolvencies as firms fail to cope with a cost-of-doing-business crisis. Rechichi described life in terms of 'BC and AC — Before Covid and After Covid'.
🔍 The Backstory
Rechichi says the business is at the mercy of conditions largely beyond his control, from wars in the Middle East to cost-of-living pressure and pandemic fallout. Australian businesses have been hit by higher compliance and utility costs along with rising interest rates, pushing an unusually large number of firms toward insolvency.
🎯 Why It Matters
The insolvency wave sheds light on the real economy behind Australia's cost-of-living politics and its impact on the small businesses that employ millions. It also explains why small-business stress has become a key electoral battleground.
The Guardian profiled Joe Rechichi, CEO of the Cucina hospitality group, who runs a trio of Andiamo Trattoria venues across Sydney's inner west and says he is facing 'the worst trading conditions' of four decades in business. His story anchors a feature on Australia's 'tidal wave' of insolvencies as firms fail to cope with a cost-of-doing-business crisis. Rechichi described life in terms of 'BC and AC — Before Covid and After Covid'.
Rechichi says the business is at the mercy of conditions largely beyond his control, from wars in the Middle East to cost-of-living pressure and pandemic fallout. Australian businesses have been hit by higher compliance and utility costs along with rising interest rates, pushing an unusually large number of firms toward insolvency.
The insolvency wave sheds light on the real economy behind Australia's cost-of-living politics and its impact on the small businesses that employ millions. It also explains why small-business stress has become a key electoral battleground.