Interview with Karely Preza & Gabriela Leiva
Karely Preza (seen in right photo) is 27 years old she is the manager of the Logistic, Gabriela Leiva (seen in left photo) is 34 years old and is the manager of Marketing & Exporting and, these two amazing females work at PRODECOOP R.L. located in the north of Nicaragua. They are the dynamic duo that works with the COE program at Prodecoop where COE lost are processed and exported to all the world.
How did you start working in the cafe?
Gabriela: I started working in 2015 for one of the largest exporters in the country, specifically in the Logistics area, most of the exports were conventional coffees, then in 2018 I joined Prodecoop RL in Marketing area. I discovered the world of specialty coffees, with added value, certified coffees, micro-lots, highest scores, different processes, among others. Also, I got to know the world of cooperatives and their function mechanism, with a more social and service approach, which is closer to my personal beliefs
How has your experience been with the logistics process?
Karely: It has been an enriching experience in knowledge, which has made me develop new skills, a job of great responsibility and perseverance.
What is one of the challenges of being a CoE exporter?
Karely: Satisfy customer expectations in the quality of service and delivery of your product.
What is the best part of being a COE exporter?
Karely: Know that we are working for our country, the producers, and see the achievements and efforts of the participants, in addition to friendly and learning relationships with both producers and buyers and the organizations involved in the process. Is just an amazing experience
What have you learned about specialty coffee from working with producers and buyers?
Gabriela: The value and hard work that producers do with their coffee, the effort, and dedication that they put into their work, from the buyers, the importance and recognition that it has in the coffee in all the world. I have learned to truly appreciate the value of the cup of coffee we drink every day.
Tell us about your experience of working in a Cooperative
Gabriela & Karely: Working for the cooperative sector is working together as a big family, it gives added value to our work, as a whole, contributing their grain of sand from the associated producers to the collaborators to meet our goals and objectives, which is improve the quality of life for all involved. It has been very special to deal directly with small producers, support them in giving value to the coffee.
Who has been a female influence for you?
Gabriela & Karely: I greatly admire all the women in the coffee sector, because from experience I know that it is very difficult to work in it, bu
t the person who has been the greatest influence since I was little is Merling Preza Ramos, a strong woman
of character, dedicated to her family, work, is admirable for me she is an example to me.
My boss, Merling Preza, is a very hard-working, intelligent, and capable woman, in addition to having great human value, she has achieved great things in the world of coffee and she is a highly recognized and influential person in our community.
What is your favorite thing about working in coffee?
Gabriela & Karely: Many things! but our favorite thing is knowing the meaning of having a cup of quality coffee and meeting the people behind the entire coffee chain.
