Our partners’ stories

I am the Coffee Education Lead at Starbucks New Zealand. I started out as a barista in the busiest store in NZ, 220 Queen Street.

I am responsible for developing the technical skills of partners and internal training materials related to coffee. I love sharing coffee knowledge with my team and work with the main goal of inspiring partners to embark on their own coffee journeys.

I knew I wanted to be a barista, but I didn’t have any café experience at all. Starbucks was my first job in coffee, and it was where I learned basic barista skills. As I progressed, I realised there was a lot to learn about coffee, so I kept asking more and learning more, joining the Starbucks Coffee Academy. The journey of becoming a Coffee Master served as a springboard and significantly accelerated my development as a coffee professional. I want more baristas to engage with coffee and discover a career in it.

Hi, I’m Remz, proudly leading a talented and passionate team at the Starbucks Albany store, one of the busiest stores in New Zealand.

I started my journey with Starbucks as a Barista, then a Shift Supervisor, and a Store Manager for nine years — a journey that’s spanned 15 years and three different markets: the Philippines, Singapore, and now New Zealand.

What makes Starbucks truly special is its fun, learning-filled environment that continuously challenges me to grow and strive for success. The culture here is inspiring and supportive, and I’m proud to be part of this family. Every partner is recognised and appreciated for their successes, be they small or big. I’ve learned so much from the incredible people I’ve worked with over the years.

Of course, there are busy, tiring days, but seeing a customer’s smile as they receive their beverage makes it all worthwhile. That simple moment of happiness is the most satisfying reward every single day.