From Farm to Shipment: Where Coffee begins
Every cup of coffee starts with a story – and that story begins long before the beans reach a roastery or our cup. At NKG, we are all coffee experts in our own way: Some know exactly what coffee plants need to thrive, others master the numbers behind the business or know exactly which coffee is best for which customer, and some have excellent sensoric skills, make sure we are visible in the market or keep us legally compliant. There are countless roles along the coffee supply chain – and we have the expertise in all of them. Yet, most of us work within our own area of an increasingly complex business, and even after years at NKG, some parts of the supply chain remain blind spots.
Interview with Paula Caetano
“My coffee passion started here, at Stockler — I didn’t even drink coffee before!” says Paula Caetano. Growing up in Santos, where coffee has always been key, she adds: “Once you enter this world, you never want to leave.”
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.
On a Coffee Auction with Jad Belmezouar
In East Africa, there is a very special system for selling coffee: the coffee auction. It’s a fast-paced, transparent process where every lot finds its true value. We spoke with Jad Belmezouar, who shares his insights into the heart of coffee bidding in Kenya and Tanzania—and shows what makes this system so unique.
Virtual Tour: NKG Fazenda da Lagoa
Located in Santo Antônio do Amparo, Minas Gerais, in the heart of Brazil’s coffee production region, the history of Fazenda da Lagoa (NKG Fazendas Brasileiras) dates back to Colonial Brazil, when the Portuguese settler Manoel Ferreira Carneiro received these lands in 1764 for sugarcane cultivation and cattle raising. In 1860, the first coffee tree in the Campos das Vertentes region was planted at Fazenda da Lagoa, and in 2003, the property joined the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, which is fully dedicated to sustainable coffee production.
Mail from Group Comms: A personal Update
Dear MAG-readers,
Sometimes, when I’m sitting at my laptop in Hamburg, it seems to me as if I was quite far away from our product, especially the beginning of the coffee supply chain. Then, I remember that I’m only a phone call, email, or Teams message away from the farms and exporters. Every time I talk to colleagues who work in coffee cultivation or at our export companies, I feel that this is not that far. Although we live in different time zones and work in different realities, something common emerges from our exchanges. And here, where the coffee journey begins, is also where our new MAG series starts: From Farm to Shipment – Where Coffee Begins.
Pursuing Progress: Change Starts on the Inside
At NKG, we are no strangers to navigating complexity – whether it is adapting to regulations like EUDR or responding to broader global events like climate change. While it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of these challenges, we are also uniquely positioned to grow stronger together. Resilience is not just about weathering the storm; it’s about building the capacity to thrive despite uncertainty.
Interview with Dominique Vaudour
For the past 16 years, Dominique has been an integral part of the NKG family, taking on roles as first Finance Officer and then Chief Financial Officer at Maison Jobin since 2007. Her coffee journey, however, started even earlier as an accountant at Sté Raoul-Duval, a company trading coffee and cocoa.
Interview with Valentina Molano Paredes
Valentina Molano Paredes started working in coffee as an International Marketing Analyst at Juan Valdez. Before her first day there, she had never even tasted coffee! It was there that she fell in love with the diversity of coffee-based recipes and began to appreciate how a single plant can transform so many lives. Valentina has been with NKG for three years. Starting in the Sustainability Department as a Communications and Social Media Manager, she then moved on to organizing events with coffee-growing families.
