Anyway, I would like to sum up what was covered and it will be interesting to see how much of that gets through or how it gets translated. Click -here- for the post on the actual interview that came out.
Company Beginnings:
My wife and I studied different gourmet food opportunities for export. We visited the USA, Canada, and the UK. We went on guided supermarket and gourmet store tours and talked to importers and distributors. We noticed that in each of these markets there existed clearly defined nitch markets for gourmet foods like coffee, tea, ice cream, spreads, olive oil, pastas, chocolate and cookies and breads.
These nitch markets have been growing in Argentina as well. Locally you have gourmet coffee, tea, oils, spreads, and alfajores. However, there are no gourmet cookies. I mean you have bakeries that offer fresh baked goods but no one had a gourmet shelf stable cookies. Based on this market study we decided to focus on cookies and breads.
We came up with an initial product line-up that included Cookies, Biscotti, Cantucci and Brownies. We used the local bars as guinea pigs (local market study) and get quick direct feedback from them. People loved the cookies. Demand started increasing and we looked for investors, rented our first facility and started growing even faster.
We now distribute our cookies nationwide to the most select delicatessens, wine shops, department stores, virtual supermarkets, gift shops, and duty free shops. We also offer private label and bulk customers like Aroma Café, Freddo, Munchie´s, McCafé, and The Coffee Store.
We moved into our new and current location during November of 2006 and we opened our new store in December of 2006. Our new facility is 600 sq meters and is a state of the art baking facility. This has given us the ability and confidence to start looking past Argentina’s borders for new clients in other countries.
The interview is supposed to come out in Monday´s section titled Emprendedores.
8 comments:
congratulations!!! I`ll read it on monday.
glad the interview went well Frank... maybe that new shaved head of yours is a good luck charm? :)
:-)
I had just recently shaved too, ha ha.
Did the reporter bring a photographer?
I guess now you'll be famous, and the AFIP-man will come a knockin :-)
Oh, I see you've already made a pre-emptive strike with the link to the AFIP (under my FAVORITE web sites ...).
John
It has become an indispensable tool. When I create a new client account I don't ask them for their xeroxed copy of their CUIT. I just take their number and confirm it on the site. I have found a couple of non-legit CUIT numbers this way.
That makes it one of my favorite sites.
We are ready for them, if they come. It's nice to do everything by the book. It gives you a calmness that you just can't buy.
Frank,
My wife bought some cookies the other day from Atlantico Sur(duty free shop) down here in Tierra Del Fuego. I just dipped my hand into the bag and grabbed a few --she protested my actions and claimed that they were hers.
The chocolate chunks just melted in my mouth like homemade cookies. Caught my attention because that is not common in your typical store-bought packaged cookies. I grabbed the box to see where they were from and shouted "Damn, these are from that guy I've seen on some blogs out there.
Good stuff Frank! The only problem is that if I want to buy your cookies, I'll have to go to the airport at 1 AM. Only one flight per day in/out of here in Rio Grande and that is when the shop is open. Or else go to the big Atlantico Sur in Ushuaia.
Hi Asado,
Thanks for the nice comments! I am working on your particular problem and sometime soon you will be able to find them easier. I can't say anything right now but trust me. You will find them easier in the future.
Once the deal is signed I will make an anouncement through this blog.
Meanwhile I am going to put a link to your blog. Your blog always makes me hungry.
Thanks Frank(shot one back your way too) and can't wait to hear the news.
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