The Team
Jeff Fleming
Founder, Sourcing and sales.
Jeff's career in coffee started in his teenage years as barista and roaster in his hometown. After graduation from The University of Calgary, he joined a start up wholesale roasted coffee company supplying cafes, restaurants and grocery stores and helped to build the business for 10 years. After an origin trip to Colombia in 2012, the idea of starting a company to foster relationships between smallholder producers and roasters in Canada was born. In 2016, he launched Apex Coffee Imports to do just that and has not looked back.
Julie Audet
Co-owner, Sourcing and sales.
Thibaut Paggen
Managing director.
Thibaut first acquired experience in project management as an architect for 3 years before switching to a career in the Specialty Coffee industry. As a barista first, then a roaster, a QC manager and a green buyer later, Thibaut helped develop and establish multiple roasting companies across Europe, Australia and Canada. His international experience in management, quality control and sourcing brings an innovative vision to Apex Coffee Imports. He collaborates with the company since 2022 and is Apex's Managing director since 2023.
Catrina Noivo
Quality control.
Catrina has a background in international studies and project management, where she gained experience in public policy analysis. While pursuing her degrees, she discovered a passion for coffee during her five years working simultaneously as a barista. Although she initially embarked on a career in public service, she recognized her true calling was in the specialty coffee industry. After gaining valuable experience managing coffee shops, she joined Apex in April 2023 as the Lab Manager. Today, alongside quality control, she oversees client accounts and produces informational material for Apex’s diverse coffee offerings.
Natasha Yumasheva
Logistics.
From an early age, Natasha was immersed in European coffee culture and always maintained a curiosity of the origins of and the people involved in the coffee industry. This growing passion led her to pursue a degree in Supply Chain Management & Logistics while also helping to run one of Canada's first student-led clubs focused on the specialty coffee industry. She joined Apex in 2021 and remains actively involved in the coffee community as a sensory judge in regional and national specialty coffee competitions. Her passion for the story behind your cup of coffee still remains.