Author: Julia Wichert

In 2013, Changsu started his first coffee job as a manager/co-owner of a roastery coffee house called Assa Coffee in Kathmandu, Nepal. He just recently joined NKG in July this year as a COO of NKG Korea. How he discovered his passion for coffee? That is a really interesting story: “Being a missionary apprentice in Nepal, I’ve sought after a cash crop which can aid in alleviating the poverty and empowering entrepreneurial young kids in Nepal. And I found coffee to be the perfect tool for such purpose.” What an inspiring reason to enter the coffee industry! We are very happy that he now chose NKG to participate with his passion and knowledge, and that he, too, likes working with us and the teams in our Asia Hub. So, let’s get to know Changsu a bit better!

Christian Bothe started his career at roasting company J.J. Darboven. During his apprenticeship he realized how diverse coffee is. “Everyone knows it, drinks it, but knows so little about where it comes from, who grows it, what a coffee plant looks like. That was the trigger for me to want to learn more about this inspiring product.” Therefore he joined NKG in 2008 and his journey of discovery began. He started at InterAmerican Coffee in Hamburg. After 6 years at IAC Hamburg and a 3 month stay at IAC in the U.S., he had the chance to join Bernhard Rothfos in Hamburg in autumn 2014 – from trader to senior trader and recently COO.

Ana Wilks has worked for NKG twice, once as an assistant at NKG Statistical Unit for 5 years 1998-2003. After 10 years in commercial/trading roles at another trading company, she returned to NKG to head up the Statistical Unit. “My career has become full circle”, she says. As a Brazilian, she always had a connection to coffee as it’s the first thing people say when they hear the word Brazil. However, Ana didn’t start drinking coffee until she was at university and needed to stay awake overnight to write her essays!