Rupesh Uthappa

Highly accomplished Operations & Quality Assurance Leader with over 15 years of comprehensive experience in the global coffee commodity sector. Proven track record driving operational excellence, supply chain integrity, and strict quality control for multinational trading houses, including ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) and Ecom Gill Coffee Trading. A certified Q Arabica Grader and FSPCA PCQI expert possessing advanced technical mastery over coffee evaluation, international food safety compliance (FSMA), and integrated management systems (ISO 9001/14001, OHSAS 18001).

Recognized with corporate regional awards for leadership and operational excellence in managing high-volume processing facilities and cross-border supplier verification.

Quality and Production Head - OFI (Outspan PNG) - Papua New Guinea

(2022-07 - 2026-03)

• Cost Optimization & Strategic Blending: Engineered a strategic blending process combining higher and lower-grade coffees; maintained strict cup quality without compromise, directly contributing to restoring company profitability during a financial downturn.
• Crisis & Security Management: Successfully navigated and mitigated severe security crises, including factory robberies and theft; implemented immediate response protocols to ensure personnel safety and safeguard assets within a high-risk regional environment
• End-to-End Logistics & Operations: Directed comprehensive plant operations, managing inland container arrangements, complex export shipment documentation, levy payments, and precise stock reconciliation alongside daily production planning.
• Large-Scale Team Leadership: Managed, scheduled, and mentored a cross-functional workforce of approximately 150 employees across production and processing units.
• Operational Leadership: Oversaw the entire production process for Papua New Guinea, handling 30% of the country's coffee volume.
• Facility Management: Managed operations across three dry mill units and two wet mill units (Quality and Processing).
• Stakeholder Management: Coordinated with procurement, logistics, and R&D departments to ensure seamless operations.
• Client Relations: Managed high-profile specialty accounts, including Starbucks, Nestle, Keurig, and Lavazza.
• Quality Assurance: Implemented quality management systems and conducted regular audits to ensure products meet internal and external standards.
• Product Innovation: Drove New Product Development (NPD), including specialty processes like Wet-hulled, Naturals, Cascara, Alchemy, and Anaerobic.
• Sustainability & Purpose: Prioritized sustainable sourcing, waste reduction, and energy conservation to align with the mission of 'being the change for good food'

Head of Coffee - M/S Bevarabia - Dubai

(2020-01 - 2022-06)

• B2B Sales & Revenue Growth: Drove business expansion by managing the direct sales of green coffee beans, commercial roasting equipment, and premium brewing machines.
• Industry Training & Education: Designed and led comprehensive coffee education programs, providing expert training to baristas, aspiring roasters, and café owners on brewing techniques, roasting profiles, and quality standards.
• New Product Development (NPD): Spearheaded NPD initiatives to continuously innovate and expand the company's product portfolio, capturing new market opportunities.
• Roasting & Blending: Responsible for roasting high-quality beans and developing proprietary coffee blends to meet customer demand.
• Contract Management: In charge of green coffee contracts and ensuring all shipments met contractual obligations regarding weight, quality, and packing.
• Compliance: Adhered to full compliance with the company's Code of Conduct, internal policies, and legal requirements
• Financial Oversight: Followed up on accounts receivable and prepared commercial invoices in a timely manner.

Quality Head (Plantations & Trading) - OFI (Olam) - Lao PDR

(2017-11 - 2019-12)

• Strategic Sourcing & Volume Growth: Achieved a 100% year-over-year increase in green coffee sourcing, successfully doubling procurement volumes compared to previous agricultural seasons.
• Technical Processing & Quality Control: Replicated the complex Indonesian Mandheling (Wet-hulled) processing method, achieving an exceptional cup quality and technical approval rate of 97.5%.
• Multi-Facility Operations: Directed full-scale operations across 2 dry mills and 3 wet mills, overseeing the entire processing lifecycle from initial wet processing and drying to final dry milling.
• Team Leadership & Optimization: Managed and mentored diverse production teams across multiple processing units, driving operational efficiency and ensuring strict adherence to quality management standards.

Deputy Manager Quality Control - Ecom Gill Coffee Trading Pvt Ltd - India

(2011-02 - 2017-05)

• High-Volume Quality Analysis: Executed comprehensive quality analysis and evaluation across large-scale, high-volume coffee shipments to guarantee strict compliance with grading and cup standards.
• Logistics & Supply Chain Management: Directed end-to-end logistics operations, seamlessly overseeing green coffee reception, secure warehousing, and the efficient dispatch of inventory.
• Specialty Quality Assurance: Managed rigorous quality control protocols for high-value specialty coffees, successfully identifying and resolving complex quality issues for key global accounts, most notably Nestle Nespresso

Quality Assurance Manager - NKG Jayanthi Coffee Pvt Ltd (Neumann Kaffee Gruppe) - India

(2009-01 - 2011-01)

• Process Monitoring & Equipment Optimization: Executed real-time analysis and continuous monitoring of coffee samples across critical processing stages, maximizing product consistency utilizing Graders, Gravity Separators, and Color Sorters.
• Strategic Procurement Advisory: Directed strategic sourcing by advising senior management on green coffee purchasing decisions, leveraging rigorous physical and sensory quality evaluations.

Quality Executive - NED Commodities - India

(2007-01 - 2009-01)

• Quality Control & Grading: Executed comprehensive quality control protocols and physical grading for inbound and outbound commodity shipments to ensure strict compliance with industry standards.
• Sampling & Analysis: Conducted routine sampling, sensory analysis, and defect categorization to maintain product integrity across the supply chain.
• Documentation & Reporting: Generated detailed quality assurance reports and maintained rigorous documentation to support procurement and operational decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborated with warehouse and logistics teams to identify, document, and resolve quality discrepancies, minimizing operational bottlenecks.

Masters Program in Business Administration - Business Administration - National Institute of Retail Management (NIRM), Bangalore (2010-01 - 2012-01)

B. Com - Commerce - Bharathi Vidya Samsthe – Mangalore University (2001-01 - 2004-01)

Diploma in Fire and Safety Engineering - Fire and Safety Engineering - MANGALORE INSTITUTE OF FIRE & SAFETY ENGINEERING (MIFSE) (2009-07 - 2009-07)