Interview with Lai Chau – INSIDE NKG

Faces and portraits

Interview with
Lai Chau

Faces and portraits

Interview with
Lai Chau

Growing up in Dak Lak, Vietnam’s coffee heartland, Lai Chau‘s passion for coffee came naturally. “I was surrounded by coffee harvests, drying patios, and farm stories,” she says. With a background in Agriculture, specializing in coffee, tea, and cocoa, she took her first professional steps as a Coffee Quality Controller. “It gave me deep exposure to coffee quality, cupping, and supply chain operations.”

Lai joined NKG Vietnam in January 2024 as Sales and Marketing Manager. What she appreciates most about her role today? “I love specialty coffee,” she says. “And what I really like about working at NKG Vietnam is being able to work closely with this segment, together with people who share the same passion.”

General Info

NAME
Lai Chau

DATE OF BIRTH
October 3

COMPANY
NKG Vietnam

PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

POSITION/DEPARTMENT
Sales and Marketing Manager

DATE OF FIRST DAY AT NKG
January 16, 2024

What has been your most impressive travel so far – and what made it so special?

Peru is the furthest country I have travelled to. That journey gave me a deeper understanding of the hard work behind every cup of coffee and strengthened my respect for the people who produce it.

How do you like to drink your coffee and in which situation? (For example, a Café Latte in a nice café on weekends, an Espresso at work …)

I drink a lot of coffee every day. Most of the coffee I drink is pour-over at home and espresso at work.

What makes you laugh a lot – even on stressful days?

After stressful days and demanding work, the things that make me happiest are the specialty coffee people I work with and the coffee I love.

If you could be any fictional character for a week, who would it be and what adventures would you have?

Sometimes I wish I had Doraemon’s magic door so I could instantly travel to any coffee-producing country in the world. I think I would spend my whole life exploring the coffee belt. Hahaha

five things you like

Movies

Food

Travel

Musik

Sleep

.gif us an answer

How do you show “I need coffee” without using words?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Interview with Daniel Vella

For Daniel Vella, coffee has always been part of his life. “Growing up in an Italian family, coffee was omnipresent,” he recalls. His professional journey began at 22 with Valcorp, then the Australian distributor of Lavazza. “That role gave me access to their barista training center and some excellent, passionate mentors – and my journey began!”

Interview Krista Maruca

For many, coffee is a daily ritual. For others, it’s a lifelong passion. For one American now based in Nairobi, it’s both.

From Integrity Champion to O.S.C.A.R.: Regina Monserrat

In every organization, there are individuals whose unwavering commitment shapes its character. Regina is one of them; unafraid to stand firm for what she believes in. With a rare blend of empathy, diligence, and assertiveness, she has become a cornerstone of the company’s compliance culture—earning her the first-ever O.S.C.A.R. title: Outstanding Supporter of Compliance and Responsibility.