Meet Natalie. Our New Zealand Wholesale Manager, overseeing multiple Supreme teams, key customers, and our three Coffee Supreme cafe sites across Aotearoa. Starting as a barista, Nat has learned the ropes from the ground up, working across multiple departments and becoming a true jack of all trades. We’re proud to share a glimpse into her journey, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and what continues to drive and inspire her this International Women's Day.
Q: Hey, Nat, first things first, what’s your coffee order
A: Honestly, this changes with the wind, but at the moment it’s a long black with a side of cold milk.
Q: Can you tell us your Coffee Supreme story — how did you start here, and what’s your journey been like?
A: This one's a bit of a saga…Cast your mind back to 2013, where our story begins…
I kicked things off at Coffee Supreme as part of the Customs team as a barista, learning the ropes from the ground up. I had been managing cafes before this, and I was excited to get my foot in the door of my favourite coffee roaster.
Nine months in, I was given the opportunity to step into an Espresso Trainer role with the Wellington wholesale team — a shift from making great coffee to helping support our cafe customers do the same.
In 2015, I completed a roasting apprenticeship and began roasting one day a week alongside my training role. That experience really deepened my understanding of coffee and gave me a real appreciation for what Coffee Supreme was doing — applying care and chasing excellence at every stage of our process.
In 2016, I moved to Auckland to take on an Account Management role, which expanded my focus from coffee quality to cafe partnerships, customer support and some marketing event work.
A year or so later, I stepped into the Auckland Leader position and began managing and supporting our team alongside my account management role.
Then, in early 2022, I moved into my current role leading the wholesale team nationally, bringing together everything I’d learned along the way: cafe management, barista, espresso trainer, roaster, account manager, and team leader.
My journey at Coffee Supreme has been one shaped by opportunity, a whole lot of trust, freedom and a genuine love for our product and our people — staff and customers alike.
Q:What’s a moment in your Coffee Supreme journey that you’re most proud of?
A: There is a lot to be proud of. I think building and supporting the wholesale team in New Zealand is the thing I’m most proud of. We have some seriously talented people!
Additionally, I can think of two standout moments…
In 2017, I was lucky enough to be part of the team that opened our Shibuya cafe in Tokyo. I was there supporting with espresso training and cafe set up. Being a part of the team to bring Coffee Supreme to a whole new market was pretty incredible, shout out to Hiroki and Tomoko! Falling in love with Japan was an added bonus.
More recently, partnering with Air New Zealand as their coffee provider has been a real career highlight. Working closely with their team and ours across NZ and Australia to deliver something at that scale was both complex and hugely rewarding. Seeing Coffee Supreme served across the Air New Zealand network (both on the ground and in the air) and knowing the work that went into making it happen is something I’m incredibly proud of. We put Coffee Supreme on planes — the cafes of the sky.
Q: Has being in the coffee world shaped your view on career, community or creativity?
A: It’s cemented the belief that hospo people and morning people are the best kind of people.
This industry has introduced me to some of the most important people in my life who inspire me every day. I met Bridget (my future wife) through work. I met one of my best friends, Brodie. At first, he was a customer; these days, he's a friend first.
There are so many important people in my life that I’ve met through this job, it’s kind of the nature of this business — relationships matter, and you’re connecting with people all day, every day.
Working at a company like Supreme, where creativity is encouraged and supported, makes it a part of everyday life. I love nothing more than shooting the shit with Carly Black or Matt Glesson from our brand and marketing team and dreaming up how we show up at events, through products or silly one-liners. All the caffeine helps, too.
Q: What’s a challenge you’ve overcome or insight you’ve gained as a woman in this industry?
A: One of the biggest insights I’ve gained as a woman in this industry is just how powerful representation and diversity truly are.
The coffee industry can still be quite male-dominated, but Coffee Supreme has a strong legacy of female leadership, as you’d expect from a company co-founded by a woman. That foundation has always mattered. As a proud queer woman and a mother, I’ve come to deeply appreciate how important it is not just to have a seat at the table, but to help build a bigger, more inclusive table for others.
When I first joined the Auckland team, I was the only woman. While everyone was supportive, that experience sharpened my awareness of how isolating leadership can feel without visible diversity around you. Over time, I’ve seen meaningful change with female leadership at most levels within the business. Today, our Auckland team includes seven women; the shift in perspective, collaboration, and culture has been tangible.
For me, the challenge wasn’t navigating a male-dominated space; it was learning to lead in a way that actively and intentionally makes space for others. That’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey, and there’s still more work to do!
Q: What does International Women’s Day mean to you personally?
A: It’s about visibility, celebration and the recognition of women the world over, of our collective strength, intelligence and achievements. We acknowledge how far we have come and how far there is still to go.
Q: Who inspires you, and why?
A: I’m inspired by people who pursue their creativity and passions not just for recognition or financial gain, but because it’s essential to who they are. In the face of our economic situation, I find this extremely powerful.
I love it when people have niche interests or have mastered a skill. I’m inspired by personal stories, by the depth and complexities of love and relationships in all forms — romantic, platonic and familial.
I’m inspired when people can take something deeply personal or nostalgic and translate it in a way that resonates and connects with others, especially if it’s through food, writing or art.
Q:What advice would you give to someone starting in coffee or business today?
A:Do the simple things well. Keep your customers' experience front of mind.
Deliver consistent, quality products served with attention and care, every day; not just on good days.
Train your staff, great service is the single most impactful lever in your business - do it well, with consistency and mean it.
Customers can feel when hospitality is genuine — that’s magic — it’s the thing that makes us all feel cared for, connected and at home.
Thanks so much, Nat. We raise our mugs to you today and every day.
-v1772753587261.jpg?2500x1666)
