March 8, 2026 – This International Women’s Day, we invited women from across Sucafina’s global teams to reflect on their career in coffee. Sharing knowledge and experience can open doors for others – a principle that aligns with this year’s theme, #GiveToGain, and Sucafina’s purpose of creating opportunities to improve lives. In that spirit, our team members share the strengths that have shaped their journey, what motivates them in their role and their advice for the next generation of women.
Amy Wong – Managing Director of Hong Kong, Korea & Taiwan (Hong Kong)
I would say adaptability: it empowers me to turn uncertainty into opportunity and step confidently into new challenges. Paired with clear and authentic communication, it has helped me to align teams, build trust and drive collaboration across cultures and functions. These strengths continually remind me that meaningful leadership begins with staying open, listening deeply and embracing change with optimism.
Desirée Montealegre – Sustainability Risk & Compliance Manager (Nicaragua)
I consistently seek to learn, improve and take on greater responsibility. I hold myself accountable to high standards in a disciplined way, and that steady commitment to growth has shaped my career more than any single skill.
Gloria Iduhangaze – Sustainability Manager, Greenco (Burundi)
The strength that has helped me most in my career is never limiting myself to my job description. I have always believed that if one member of my team struggles, we all do, so I take responsibility not only for my own role but also for supporting my colleagues without complaint or blame.
Kelly Van Remoortere – Team Leader, Beyers Koffie (Belgium)
My strength is my enthusiasm: with a laugh and a joke, I ensure that my team stays motivated.
Nguyen Nguyen – Execution Manager, Sucafina Instant (Vietnam)
One strength that has helped me is my adaptability. I adjust quickly to new environments, shifting priorities and unexpected challenges, which allows me to stay effective even in fast‑changing situations. I also rely heavily on strong organizational skills. Being able to structure my work, prioritize clearly and manage multiple tasks or stakeholders at once has helped me consistently deliver results and maintain reliability. My attention to detail has also been key: I take care to ensure accuracy, anticipate potential issues and maintain high standards in everything I handle.
Nohelia Lara – Trading Assistant, Café Robusta (Ecuador)
Adaptability. Throughout my professional journey, my roles have often evolved, responsibilities have shifted, projects have expanded and leadership structures have changed. Instead of seeing this as instability, I’ve embraced each transition as an opportunity to grow, collaborate across teams and expand my capabilities.
Serena Robert – Specialty Trader, Sucafina NA (USA)
Throughout my career in coffee, the skill that’s helped me most is resourcefulness. When I’m faced with a challenge or realize something’s missing, I lean into asking questions, reaching out to others with differing views and digging into research and data. From there, I focus on turning what I’ve learned into practical tools, systems and resources that make things clearer and more accessible for the people around me – leaving things better than I found them, whenever I can.
Antonella Gebrayel – Instant Execution Coordinator (Lebanon)
I feel most excited when I’m learning something new or solving a challenging case. I enjoy pushing myself to improve and finding better, more efficient ways to complete my tasks.
Catherine Violet - Personal Assistant to CEO & First (Switzerland)
What fills me with pride is Sucafina’s commitment to becoming net positive. Improving farmers’ lives is not a strategy but our responsibility. We want to grow – that’s a fact – and we will succeed by uplifting people in the field.
Delma Farokave – Sustainability Manager, Sucafina Coffee Niugini (Papua New Guinea)
As a woman in this field, I often reflect on how meaningful it is to stand at the intersection of environmental stewardship, community development and ethical leadership. What excites me most is the chance to create change that is both practical and deeply human. Sustainability is not abstract – every decision I make connects back to real people, especially smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend on resilient and responsible practices.
Daniella Tayyar – Finance Team Leader, Beyers Koffie (Lebanon)
What excites me most is transforming complex financial data into clear, reliable insights that support strategic decisions. Being part of a diverse team, where different cultures and perspectives come together to deliver strong results, makes the experience both rewarding and inspiring.
Karine Marques – HR Specialist, Sucafina Brasil (Brazil)
What excites me most in HR is connecting talented individuals with the right opportunities and supporting their journey. I feel proud to be part of a company that values people and growth, and being passionate about coffee, I couldn’t think of a better industry to be part of.
Kudrath Majid – Quality Supervisor, Cotacof (Tanzania)
I’m proud that my role ensures our clients receive coffee whose quality they can authenticate with confidence. Working closely and calibrating with our clients strengthens our shared understanding of quality from farm to cup. Every day, I’m inspired because my commitment to quality supports our farmers, empowers our clients and delights coffee lovers around the world.
Thamires Araujo – Machine Operator, Beyers Koffie (Belgium)
What keeps me going is knowing that the work we do results in a product people enjoy every day. Being part of the process that brings coffee moments to customers motivates me to do my best and support my team.
Thao Le – Execution & Planning Manager, Sucafina Instant (Vietnam)
I feel most excited about the planning aspect of my job. Working in logistics and import-export execution, I enjoy organizing shipments and ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish. It’s very satisfying to see a well-planned shipment executed successfully and delivered on time.
Christel van der Velden – Sales Director Vending & Travel, TB Brown (Netherlands)
My advice is to stay curious and eager to learn. Just like creating great coffee, it’s about understanding the process, paying attention to detail and continuously improving. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, seize opportunities and make your voice heard. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Take the initiative because your perspective adds flavor, depth and real impact. Speak up. Take up space. You belong in this field.
Karen Parra – Senior Reporting Analyst, Sucafina Colombia (Colombia)
It is important to like what you do and love to learn new things. Do not be afraid to ask questions and support your colleagues. One wise woman once told me: "Trust in yourself and do not let people make you doubt what you know."
Kristine Breminer Isgren – Quality Manager & Q Arabica Grader, Sucafina UK (UK)
I’ve worked in coffee and QC for many years and feel honored to be surrounded by many accomplished women in similar roles, from all walks of life. My advice to women wanting to work in this field is that education and experience cannot be rivaled, and you should take opportunities to learn from those with more experience and knowledge. We’re lucky to be working in a time where access to education isn’t geographically limited. There’s a plethora of online courses, and a whole industry of motivated, talented and highly qualified women to learn from, so take that step and talk to us.
Leen Christiaens – QC Officer, Beyers, Beyers Koffie (Belgium)
My advice to the next generation is to be yourself and don't let anyone bring you down. Every day is a new day with new opportunities.
Uliana Privalova – Product Developer, TB Brown (Netherlands)
You don’t need to know everything from the first day. What you need is curiosity and the courage to continue learning. Ask questions. Stay open. Make decisions based on data, not fear. When you really understand your raw materials and your production limits, you can speak with confidence. I truly believe a woman can be everything she wants. She can be a loving mother, a confident woman and a strong professional.
Véronique Heylen – Senior Sales Trader, Sucafina NV (Belgium)
I’ve worked in coffee for more than ten years and the moments that motivate me most are when I visit origins and meet farmers. That’s when you truly hear, see, smell and taste the passion behind their work. You carry that feeling with you on the plane home, and I always find myself smiling. That smile returns months later when we cup those coffees in the office – and again when a client roasts the coffee and we enjoy it together. Moments like these show how deeply human the coffee business is, and how much it relies on strong relationships with farmers, colleagues and clients.