Team

Team Americas

Charlie Blasky

Teamlead Quality Assurance

‘My favorite coffee memory isn’t a single instance, it’s my “journey through coffee”. Creating value within Trabocca comes from that journey. Quality is a moving target, why would I stand still?’

Dalton Jones

Quality Assistant

My favorite coffee memory happened while working at a local café and roastery. I remember being greeted by the smell of the roaster every morning when I would come in to work and I could tell the coffee that we served was different than the usual commodity-grade coffee that I had previously served to customers at chain coffee shops. It was here that I had my first sip of a vibrant Ethiopian coffee and it blew me away. I realized that coffee did not have to be linear or one dimensional, it could be nuanced and exciting. Through my role in quality at Trabocca I hope to create a similar eye opening coffee experience for others as well.

Fernando Seminario

Sourcing Manager

'When I tried a perfect, washed, Yirgacheffe for the first time, I realized that coffee could taste, among many other things, like fruit. Within the coffee industry, we work with a supply chain which is very complex and culturally diverse so we need to be creative and resourceful every day.'

Greg Graves

Business Unit Manager

‘It was when I had a Kenyan coffee that was juicy and balanced with a unique hint of cinnamon, that I realized just how varied and delicious specialty coffee could be. My primary goal is to bring a true sense of transparency, accuracy, flexibility, and speed to any and all logistics, inventory, and operations-related needs.’

Katie Dahlke

Logistics Coordinator

'When my brother & sister-in-law moved down to FL & we went to visit them. My sister-in-law & myself sat on her new patio with delicious coffee, watching the FL sunrise & chatting about the possibility of us moving to FL as well. It was so nice just me & her, before the chaos of the day started since our husbands and kids were all still sleeping. It was so peaceful to just sit with her & dream for a bit. I believe I bring value with my advanced logistics knowledge, thus creating trust. I also offer our services to them with prompt responses & make sure to give them a positive experience to increase their satisfaction. I’ll bring value by being an expert on their services needed. As well as our products.'

Marisa White

Trader

'My favorite coffee memory was on my first origin trip to Brazil.  The part I enjoyed the most was the memorable connections we made with the farmers and their families while tasting the coffees they produced. It was also fascinating to see the coffee harvest taking place in the mountains. My goal in trade is to connect the roasters with the high-quality coffees they need efficiently while developing relationships to better meet their needs.'

Sean Capistrant

USA Trade Manager

‘My favorite coffee memory is cupping a large amount of low-grade, commercial brands of coffee and realizing that I had made the right choice to be in specialty. I strongly feel that we have one of the finest teams in the industry. Without them, I would not be able to serve our customers.’

Team Amsterdam

Anita Tool

Logistics Coordinator

‘My preference goes out to the washed Ethiopian coffees which have a softer flavor. Within the team, it’s motivating to see how everyone is focused on great coffee. Whereas for my role in logistics, for me it’s about mirroring the quality of the service to the quality of the coffee.’

Cerianne Bury

Global Quality Manager

‘I started working in coffee as a barista, and never left. Coffee became part of my life quite quickly. Like many people working in the industry, what intrigues me about coffee is its complexity and diversity. From growing, to primary processing, shipping, to roasting, to brewing. Everything and everybody plays a part in the quality of the end product and actually getting that cup to your table. My first trip to Ethiopia will always remain special because of that: actually seeing all the hands coffee flows through, from beginning to end. As Quality Manager I ensure that Trabocca’s coffee is the quality it needs to be, from sensory to green, according to food safety and certification standards.‘

Christiaan Daarnhouwer

Trader

'My most memorable coffee moment was when I visited the port of Singapore at young age accompanying my father to take some coffee samples for our formerly family-owned commodity trading firm. The big piles of coffee bags and the scale of the warehouse made an ever-lasting impression on me. From that moment onwards commodity trading has kept my interest. Starting my career at Trabocca has fulfilled my wish to work in commodity trading and moreover enables me to connect people from all over the world with amazing coffees.'

Cintya Pratiwi

Quality Assistant

'As a person who grew up in a coffee-producing country, coffee is always present in warm memories with family and friends. My most memorable coffee memory was when I went camping in the suburbs of Bandung, Indonesia with a group of friends, and for the first time I drank a great coffee from local farmers; since then, I've been on the lookout for a good cup of coffee. In the quality department, I am eager to contribute to high-quality sample delivery and to ensure that customers receive samples on time.'

Ivo Henstra

Senior Logistics Coordinator

‘It’s a pleasure to get to enjoy some of the best coffees in the world every day at the office. With years of experience in logistics and the international coffee business, I can anticipate the priorities of the client and what the necessary steps are to move coffee around the world.’

Maria Claudia Porto

Jr. Coffee Trader

Born and raised in the south of Minas Gerais, Brazil, I was surrounded by coffee from an early age. My grandfather was a small coffee grower, and I have fond memories of playing in the patio full of coffee cherries. Later, when I started working with coffee, I soon discovered the diverse flavors, stories and people behind each cup. I then knew I wanted to pursue a career in coffee. Now, as part of Trabocca's trading team, I elevate this mission by connecting clients to exceptional coffees not just from Brazil but from many origins.

Matthew Harrison

Sourcing Manager

'I’ve been fortunate to experience many great coffee moments during my career in coffee, however, one which really stands out for me is when I was able to share a cup of coffee with a farmer in Tanzania who had been growing coffee for over 25 years and had never tried his own coffee before. At Trabocca I am responsible for sourcing coffee from Ethiopia. I bring knowledge and experience of working for an exporter in East Africa to manage and maintain the relationship between our suppliers and meet the needs and requirements of Trabocca and our customers.'

Maurice Kilian

Marketing & Communication

The coffee industry constantly opened new paths for me. Guided by shared values, I feel connected to the people that share the same. Driven by its diversity, not only sensorially but also socially, I am fascinated by its complexity and impact. Fascinated by all the facets, that tell its story.   Living in Guatemala, together with the most humble and heartwarming people and being surrounded by peacefully quite landscapes, has been one of the experiences that I will never forget. One that changes how I perceive the seed of coffee.

Menno Simons

Founder and General Manager

‘While roasting my coffee in a pan back in the day, I first experienced the changes in smell and color which resulted in a fresh coffee. I was amazed! Most important to me is my passion to explore, create and improve the supply chain, while sharing our experience and knowledge.'

Salvatore Russo

Business Unit Manager EMEA

'My most memorable coffee experience happened totally by coincidence when I stayed in a plantation which doubled as a hostel in Colombia. On a tour, we picked coffee and roasted some in a pan; Ethiopian style. I was hooked in a new way. Three months later I quit my city job and moved country to work with coffee. Equally memorable was my first visit to Ndaroini with Menno. 400 farmers turned up out of nowhere to greet us, some had driven all the way across the country, incredible. At Trabocca, I aim to share this passion with whoever will listen.'

Simone Blonk

Quality Engineer

When I attended my first cupping session, I noticed fruity flavors in coffee instead of the bitterness I was used to. This moment I realized coffee is more than just a cup to keep you awake. The complexity and all the different processes started to get my interest and that’s how coffee became my passion as well. Part of my job as a Quality Engineer is to make sure that the coffee is safe for our customers to drink. Therefore, I have direct contact with the farmers, so I get the right information about the whole process from processing to packaging.

Wendy Baltus

Logistics Supervisor

‘I will never forget the first time I drank a Geisha Panama coffee from the Chemex: so clean and pure. My focus here is to try and to see things from a client’s perspective. I always make sure we are on the same page and advise the best option available.'

Wim van Kooten

Senior Trader and New Business Developer

‘It was a proud moment for me to see Haile Gebre, the first farmer I worked with, develop as a key preferred supplier of various sustainable specialty coffee chains. At Trabocca, I always like to hear a Key Buyer explain what makes them tick, what makes them smile and what makes them sad. This way I get the satisfaction of finding tailor-made solutions.'

Team Ethiopia

Azeb Alemayehu

Office Assistant

Endale Mariam Abebe

Junior Inspector and Sampler

Genet Girma Becha

Assistant Coffee Roaster

Michael Workshet

General Manager

Ruth Araya

Secretary and Administrative assistant

Wogene Berhanu

Senior Quality Assistant

Wolde Tagesse

Quality Assurance Team Lead

Yonas Haileselassie

Senior Quality Inspector