The MARSEPE story in Ziarul Financiar!
Under the Marsepe brand, there are three core collections, each with nine varieties: Crazy Garden, Exotic Intense, and Spicy Party ♦ Recently, a new collection called Moştenire was also launched, capturing traditional Romanian flavors through carefully selected combinations ♦ Prices range from 28 lei to 200 lei, depending on the quantity and collection.
Alina Goidea and Carmen Vasile, two sisters with backgrounds in design and architecture, respectively, left their jobs in Bucharest and returned to their hometown of Focșani, where they laid the foundations for the Marsepe brand, under which they now produce chocolate pralines in Odobești, Vrancea County. “We had another brand, our family’s, called Marco, which deals with baking and confectionery. Since 2015, I have been involved in the confectionery side of this brand. I happened to play around with chocolate, and this desire to take chocolate further came naturally. Together with Carmen and our family, we decided to make chocolate,” Alina Goidea shared.
The two sisters invested 40,000 euros in the production laboratory, money that came from a StartUp Nation project, to which they added an investment of around 20,000 euros to purchase the necessary equipment. The building where production takes place, Carmen Vasile mentions, is an investment made by the other company, their family’s, through a loan. Today, their project employs five people.
The first pralines were produced a year ago, but before this beginning, the two sisters went through various training and specialization courses. “The first time we went to studies, we also experimented with confectionery. We went together to Belgium, came home with some basics, turned on the machines, and tried to combine theory with practice,” Alina Goidea shared.
“We studied more, took a few more courses, and I believe there is always something to learn.”
To make their brand known, the two entrepreneurs first introduced the pralines to local stores, specifically the seven locations of the Marco bakery. To reach customers outside the county, they sent pralines to all their acquaintances, then created a website and a Facebook page, and grew step by step.
Currently, Marsepe pralines are also available at various locations in Sibiu and Sebeș. “We want to come to several locations in Bucharest,” Carmen Vasile added.
Under the Marsepe brand, there are three core collections, each with nine varieties: Crazy Garden, Exotic Intense, and Spicy Party. Recently, a new collection called Moştenire was also launched, capturing traditional Romanian flavors through carefully selected combinations.
Prices range from 28 lei to 200 lei, depending on the quantity and collection.
So far, the two entrepreneurs have not yet set a concrete revenue target for their first year of operation. However, Carmen Vasile says that by the end of this year, they will already have a clearer overall view of the business because they already have regular customers, collaborations, and have participated in several fairs.
For next year as well, they have a development plan. “We need to increase production and create a packaging area,” Carmen Vasile added.
The two sisters were raised with an entrepreneurial mindset and saw how their parents developed their business, so the role of entrepreneur suits them very well now.
“I have never identified with the role of an employee. I couldn’t submit my thoughts to someone else’s. When I returned to Focșani, I saw how natural it is for me to be in business,” Carmen Vasile also said.
