Name: Stephen Leach
Position: Global Coffee Procurement Manager
Region/Country: US/Global
Favourite coffee(s): Colombian Supremo and Sumatra

My career in coffee: was probably a result of a year spent as a Rotary Club Exchange Student in La Paz, Bolivia in high school. My first job in coffee after graduation, while not in the Specialty field, gave me a very solid foundation in tasting and the basic business fundamentals of the coffee industry. I started out with a coffee importing company on Wall St. in New York City delivering samples to buyers, training in the cupping lab & finally working my way up into trading.

I was drawn to Specialty coffee by my interest in good food and wine and becoming more educated about the business in general.

What is Specialty coffee? Taste is very subjective, though there are some generally accepted truths about the taste and geographic profiles of higher quality coffees. Generally speaking, the higher the altitude that it’s grown at and the purer the strain of the Genus the better the taste. That does not hold true all the time as in the case of Brazilian or Sumatran coffees, which are grown at lower altitudes and produce milder and still very sweet coffees.

Finding the right coffee often involves two days of long flights, countless hours waiting in airports and long, bumpy rides in a 4 wheel drive to actually get to where I’m going. My safety is in the hands of drivers with questionable skills and I sometimes doubt my sanity!

It's all worth it because we deal with a very select percentage of all the coffee that’s produced throughout the world and competition is fierce. I pride myself on being able to say, “I’ve been there, know exactly what they have to deal with and believe we have secured the best possible outcome for the farms and best quality for our guests.” We want to make a difference and have a positive impact on the lives of producers and their communities, wherever possible.

Name: Phi Van, Nguyen
Position: Managing Director
Region/Country: Vietnam
Favourite Drink: Caramel Latte

I was in advertising before becoming Managing Director for Gloria Jean’s Coffees Vietnam. My career began as a strategic planning director at an advertising agency then I joined the Gloria Jean’s Coffees team because I loved the brand and the products.

I love working for a company that serves the best coffee. I also love working in a fun environment with a young team. It means we are involved in exciting events to promote the brand and interact with lots of loyal and friendly guests. Gloria Jean’s Coffees also provides a fantastic network of people from around the world.

At Gloria Jean’s Coffees I have learnt that if you start with passion you can never go wrong! Over the past two years as Managing Director, one of our outlets has been awarded with a number of awards including the Outstanding Market Entry Award and Outstanding Store Awards, both presented by Gloria Jean’s Coffees International and also the Excellence in Hospitality Award presented by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

I always start the day with a small caramel latte. My mornings are spent working on all company related issues. My afternoons usually involve meetings with franchise partners, media or visiting new outlets that are under construction. I never miss an espresso chiller mid afternoon and my work day usually finishes up at around 7 or 8pm.

I live and breathe coffee, which flows into my interests and hobbies. As well as getting away for weekends to beach resorts and swimming, I love to read about food and beverage trends.

Name: Ali Arslan Tomakan
Position: Imports & Logistics Manager
Region/Country: Turkey
Favourite Drink: Double Espresso

I worked with Gloria Jean’s Coffees before actually working for the company! While studying at university, I had a part time job with a customs company where I looked after Gloria Jean’s Coffees logistics. After I graduated I was invited to join the team as Import Manager for Turkey, and I haven’t looked back since!

I’ve only been here for two years, but it’s already taught me so much. I moved up to the role of Imports and Logistics Manager last year. It’s a challenging role, and when it comes to the logistics of supplying over 60 outlets across Turkey I’ve learnt that forecasting is everything. I get a real kick out of being part of an internationally recognised and well-loved brand who are like a family.

I start my working day with a good, strong double espresso. Then my day would typically ensure that the orders from outlets are organised and stock recorded. I report on consumption levels in order to effectively forecast future orders and make sure import procedures are upheld. People probably don’t realise the complexity of moving coffee beans around the world it takes a lot of good communication and planning.

In my spare time I guess you could say I like being on the move. I travel when I can, and some people might not know that I also love horse-riding and motorbikes!

Name: John Mule
Position: Roast Master
Region/Country: Australia
Favourite Drink: Gloria Jean’s Special Espresso Blend Short Black

I’m a coffee veteran, having worked in the industry for over 40 years. I have been roasting coffee for numerous brands and have covered coffees from the world over including Colombian coffee beans and also worked for gourmet coffee brand Andronicas for a number of years.

For the past nine years I have been a Roast Master for Gloria jean’s Coffees. I have been involved in developing new coffee blends, working with new and improved equipment and training new roasters and coffee storeman. My position sees me constantly aiming for new quality standards and it’s extremely rewarding to achieve these as a team.

There are lots of other rewards to the job. I enjoy both my work environment and the team around me, and of course the coffee aroma! My position allows me to share my skills and coffee roasting experiences with fellow team members, which I find really rewarding.

As the Roast Master my typical day is very busy. I begin by preparing and starting the roasting line machine and equipment for the day’s operations. I then delegate the tasks for the day amongst the team and we begin to roast quality coffee beans.

When I’m not at work you’ll find me in the garden. I love gardening at home or helping out on my sister’s fruit and vegetable farm.

Of course I love my coffee. My favourite is a short black made from Gloria Jean’s Special Espresso Blend.

Name: Nur Rahman
Position: International Quality Systems Manager – GJCI
Region/Country: Global
Favourite Drink: Caramelatte

To be good at a job like mine you need to have attention for detail. After doing my initial Masters degree in Veterinary Science in Bangladesh, I completed a Masters of Applied Science in Food Microbiology and also Masters of Business and Technology at the University of New South Wales. I’ve also completed a lot of accredited courses in food safety, inspection and quality management.

Quality is such an important part of any great brand. I’ve worked as a quality and operations manager for a number of big food manufacturers including Goodman Fielder, Copperpot dips, Attiki yoghurts and Cargill Foods (meat division) but getting the chance to work with Gloria Jean’s Coffees was a dream opportunity.

My role is to develop, implement and monitor quality systems across the world for Gloria Jean’s Coffees. There’s always so much to do but I really love working for a company that is committed to Innovation and Excellence. I have a very long job description, so everyday is different. My day might start with reviewing current quality system policies and tools and helping team members, Master Franchise Partners and Franchise Partners with quality related issues. I then might have a meeting with one of our suppliers to discuss product specifications before returning to the office to look over our product labelling standards and research food safety laws and country requirements for any one of our international markets.

I feel really lucky to work for a company that believes in investing in its people. That’s what makes Gloria Jean’s Coffees such a great place to work. We have a strong culture of supporting and building capability through multi-skilled, effective and cross functional teams. Everyone shows a lot of joy and passion for what they do and you really do feel like you’re a member of a very special family.

Name: Natasha Zouridi
Position: Group Brand Manager
Region/Country: Greece
Favourite Drink: Caramelatte

I have my dream job and love coming to work every day. I’ve been fortunate to have a great career in marketing, working with the Athens Olympics Committee, through to working for a number of years with Everest SA. Everest SA is a leading group of companies in Greece specialising in catering and food services and is how I came across Gloria Jean’s Coffees. It’s always the ultimate opportunity for a marketer to launch a new brand in the market successfully which was why I was attracted to work with Gloria Jean’s Coffees.

I love the international personality of the brand! When the mission and the values of the brand agree with your own personal beliefs and values, then it’s natural you develop a strong emotional bond and a commitment to want to see it succeed in your market. Gloria Jean’s Coffees really is like working in a family where you are loved and supported. I think everyone would want to belong to family like this.

It’s a great place to learn, I have learned how to get the most out of my team. The best results come from teams that accept each other’s differences and adapt to get the most out of each member. Our cultural mosaic is what makes Gloria Jean’s Coffees family unique.

I will never forget going to Coffee University in Australia. It was my induction to the world of coffee and it’s been my passion ever since. I constantly use what I learnt then to what I do today. It was also my first introduction to Caramel Lattes which I instantly fell in love with and I still drink a cup nearly every day!

Name: Micah Walker
Position: Regional Development Manager
Region/Country: Asia Pacific, India, Africa, Middle East
Favourite Drink: Caramel Latte & Columbian Supremo

When I joined Gloria Jean’s Coffees I had no idea of the scale of the journey I was about to embark on. I started out as a outlet manager in my home town of Brisbane and after two and a half years, I joined the company’s training partner as traineeship coordinator for Queensland. During this role I obtained great experience's delivering retail operations programs and barista training to team members across our great southern land. I then moved into a National training consultant role with the Australian Training Team and shortly after was appointed to the Gloria Jean’s Coffees International Support Office in 2006 as an International Training and Operations Consultant.

I was appointed to a Regional International role in 2007 and am still loving every minute of it. Alongside my colleagues I support the profitable development for the 21 countries across our region, which includes Asia Pacific, India, Africa and the Middle East. I am based in the bustling city of Dubai and report through to our Regional General Manager Mr. Troy Franklin. I see myself as a business coach and brand co-owner and am driven to deliver on our company vision, mission and values.

My advice to anyone wanting a job like mine is to work hard, aim high and persevere! I’ve been with the company for over seven years, having worked my way through some really interesting areas of the business. Travelling more than 300,000 miles across many countries over the last three years has taken commitment and sacrifice but the reward in seeing our brand grow and succeed across a range of cultural differences has been worth every moment and continues to be an exciting journey.

Name: Sibusiso Ncube
Position: Barista Trainer
Region/Country: Johannesburg, South Africa
Favourite Drink: Ristretto

It is just so important to be happy at work. Before I start my day, I always make sure that I create a cheerful and fun atmosphere for both my colleagues and guests. To keep things running smoothly I check that I have everything I need to run my shift without any problems, like making sure that all the equipment works properly and my guests are never left waiting – which they never are.

I love the energy that comes from being busy. Working in the very busy peak periods gives me and my team such a great buzz - The beans are always grinding, there is a beautiful aroma throughout the outlet and our guests are chatting like they have been friends for years – it’s fantastic!

I have learnt that a great coffee can make someone incredibly happy. It is such an amazing feeling when a guest tells me that I have truly made a difference to their day with the coffee I have made. I especially love the smile on their face after the first sip.

I find it so rewarding to have guests appreciate my skills, especially my latte art. I put my all my energy into making coffee, so it is great to know that this passion translates to my guests. Pencil art is also a passion of mine, so I try and use this creativity with my coffee art.

Name: Peter Wells
Position: Franchise Partner
Region/Country: Sydney / Australia
Favourite Drink: Small double shot Latte

I started out in a career – a long way from making coffee! I started my working life as a fitter/ machinist, then studied engineering and worked through various technical sales roles up to National Sales Manager for an industrial company. I wanted a change, to run my own business with my wife and experienced running a cafe first hand to see if I liked hospitality.

A Gloria Jean’s Coffees franchise was the ultimate choice for us. It’s a well known and respected brand and one that my wife and I identify with. The heritage passed down from the Australian founders is very strong and the culture that goes with the vision, mission and values.

I like nothing more than making coffee and chatting to guests. As a franchise partner I am involved in every aspect of the business, from training baristas, to running the outlet myself, talking to guests, ensuring the environment is welcoming and everyone is enjoying the experience, through to the back-of-house administration.

What I’ve learnt is that the biggest influence on success is consistency. You need to do the little things consistently day in, day out. It’s all about the guest, greet them with a smile, serve them with excellent products and keep the place clean so they feel comfortable. They will keep coming back, and bring their friends who in turn will bring their friends and so the business grows.

Some people would be surprised to hear I’m an adventure seeker! When I have spare time I enjoy water skiing and 4-wheel driving trips.

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