Behind every coffee shipment that arrives smoothly to its destination, there is a logistics team working tirelessly to coordinate people, timelines, and moving pieces across continents. In this edition of The People Behind Relationship Coffee, we spoke with Alejandra Rojas, part of the Traceable Logistics inbound team and the newest member of the Sustainable Harvest team, as she just joined us in January 2026!
Alejandra shares her journey into logistics, how other industries compare to coffee, and how discovering the human side of the coffee value chain gave new meaning to her career.
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Sustainable Harvest (SH): Alejandra, can you start by telling us about your background and how you ended up in logistics?
Alejandra Rojas (AR): I was born in Cachipay, a small town about two hours from Bogotá, but I moved to the city when I was very young for school. I studied International Business and started working in logistics right after graduating.
My first job was at an importing company that brought aluminum and hardware for windows and doors into Colombia. I started as an intern and stayed for about six years, growing into a role focused on international trade and managing the full logistics chain, from coordinating with suppliers to nationalizing the cargo once it arrived in Colombia.
After that, I spent a year in the United States studying English, returned to Colombia, and eventually went back to the same company before moving into the medical aesthetics sector, where I worked for three years managing imports of highly specialized equipment. Later, I moved into the oil and gas industry, where I met Angie, our Traceable Logistics Supervisor, and worked for several years in logistics before eventually joining Sustainable Harvest.
SH: You've worked in several industries. What feels different about coffee so far?
AR: The human side of coffee has really stood out to me. In my previous jobs, everything felt very transactional and materialistic. Here, there’s a clear intention to help people grow – both producers and roasters – and that has been really moving for me!
Before, I sometimes felt like my career wasn’t contributing anything meaningful to the world. Joining Sustainable Harvest and seeing the programs supporting women and youth, and the genuine concern for producers’ wellbeing, has been incredibly inspiring and for the first time, I feel like my job has impact in other people’s lives.
SH: What makes Sustainable Harvest different from other companies you've worked with?
AR: The team. Everyone is deeply committed to doing their best and supporting each other so that the entire process works well. There’s no competition to stand out individually - there’s a shared goal of making sure everything runs smoothly for everyone involved.
I also love how passionate people are about what they do. In my previous roles, I mostly interacted with logistics teams. Here, I get exposure to colleagues who are passionate about coffee quality, sourcing, and relationships, and it makes me want to learn more about the industry.
SH: What do you enjoy the most about working in logistics?
AR: I think I’m wired for fast-paced environments. I enjoy the urgency and the feeling that I’m being productive and solving problems throughout the day. I actually tried working outside logistics once and realized it wasn’t for me, I missed the pace and the constant challenges.
SH: What is one thing you wish people better understood about logistics?
AR: Timely communication is everything. When suppliers don’t respond quickly, the entire chain can feel the pressure. A delayed response can create stress for multiple teams and impact the next steps in the process.
Logistics is very interconnected, so quick and clear communication makes a huge difference.
SH: What excited you most about learning more about coffee? And more importantly, do you drink coffee? Because we know a few of our Logistics team members don't drink coffee...Yet!
AR: Before this job, I never realized how much work goes into a single cup of coffee. I used to just make coffee at home without thinking about everything behind it. Now I’m fascinated by how many steps and people are involved.
Being in the office has really changed my perspective. Every day there’s a new coffee to try, and Claudy always shares the story behind it – where it comes from, the producer, the process, the variety. I may not remember all the details yet, but I always remember thinking, “Wow, this is delicious.” You can really taste the difference compared to what I used to drink at home.
I’ve also started learning small things, with help from Claudy and Leo, like how to grind coffee properly and measure it correctly. It makes me curious to keep learning more about cupping, brewing, and quality.
And yes, I do drink coffee! I didn’t always pay much attention to it before, but now my taste has definitely changed. I guess working here is slowly turning me into a real coffee person!
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