An ex-serviceman, he's seen mates and old colleagues struggle for a lack of connection over the past few years - some struggling with mental health and some with readjusting to civilian life. And he felt helpless.

"I got a mate that's just checked out of a psych ward ... another mate that did seven operational tours in 15 years [died by] suicide last year. Got mates that are in their 40s, they can't work," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

"We haven't had an Anzac Day for two years, we're all connected by social media, but we're very isolated."

Mr Fitzgibbon and his business partner, who served together in the army, were on the lookout for a business idea. But they also wanted something that would help those mates and other ex-servicemen and women "who are doing it tough".

"There's a feeling of hopelessness in regards to what can we do to create positive change," he said.

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In past conflicts, battalions were regionally-based, so people from the Riverina would serve together and when they came back the support network would be embedded in the community, Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Nowadays, veterans are often "geographically isolated" from the people they have a shared experience with.

"Twenty years ago we would have 100 beers at the pub and had a laugh, but we're a bit beyond that now. We've just found that having a coffee with a mate does help and that's made a positive change for a number of friends we know."

And so, over a beer with his mate, the idea of a coffee company was born - one that is Riverina-centric and will support veteran wellbeing organisations.

Diggers Coffee Company is that business and Mr Fitzgibbon and the team are trying to create a conversation among ex-service personnel that tells them it's alright to reach out to your mates and open up over a coffee.

Apart from supplying people with great-tasting coffee, the company will be donating 10 per cent of the profits to a number of local veteran focused charities, such as the Integrated Servicepeoples Association of Australia and Guitars for Vets (G4VA).

Mr Fitzgibbon has experienced the power of coffee first hand. His business partner recently reconnected with a family member whom he hadn't spoken to in more than five years.

The family member is a veteran and currently undergoing treatment in a mental health facility, but one bag of coffee from Diggers Coffee opened up a new line of dialogue for the family.

"That's why we're doing this," he said.

The coffee beans come from a Melbourne roaster and the blend is designed by Fitzgibbon and the team.

Self confessed coffee snobs, the team laboured over the tasting and testing for more than six months until they got it right.

The business is in its early stages, selling coffee online and at local events such as the Wollundry Saturday Markets, but the team have grander ambitions.

"In time we'd like to have a shop location where people can meet up ... and down the track if we can get it big enough to offer employment to an ex-serviceman," he said.

"We'd just like to have a focal point somewhere that's not a pub."

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