Events

Igor says he chose to invest money in a pastry because it was an area he knew. The amount received through the programme was RON 200 thousand, to which the entrepreneur added the same amount of money, or even more, for the development of his business. The man worked for a few years in a renowned pastry in Parma from where he took on certain knowledge and his family contributed to the choice of the future business. “Together with my little girl 15 years ago, we used to make various sweets on Sunday. I have co-authored tortures, biscuits and understood that this speciality might interest it in the future. We all want to be economists, lawyers or other professions that are currently on the trend, but someone needs to feed us. My daughter now devotes a lot of passion to preparing something unusually tasty. I think it will decide to become a pastry later,” the 40-year-old man testified.

Igor Furtununa’s pastry employs 12 people. They produce 22 types of biscuits. The last product launched on the market, which is prized by the entrepreneur and prized by consumers, is ‘gresinele’, a type of stick prepared according to an Italian recipe based on olive oil, with naturally dried tomatoes. “We sell our products on the Moldovan market. I took a few products to Romania, but the neighbouring country is currently not a suitable customer for us. We expect to find other products that consumers in Romania would be interested in and to develop beyond Prut, "said Igor Furtună.

In his business, the producer chose to make products with natural ingredients, without preservatives or additives. The entrepreneur says the ingredients used in pastry production is from the local market, with minor exceptions such as olive oil, rosemary and sesame. Sour cherries are also used in the preparation of biscuits. “I recently bought a machine that I want to use to produce biscuits with several natural fruits,” says Igor Furtuna. At the same time, the entrepreneur tells that he has made more attractive packaging for his products, which have a public outlet. “The wrapping machine that we have procured meets all the criteria of the European standards. Once and for all, we will come out of Moldaviism, when we put everything on the table. If we want to be respected by local and external consumers, we need to make the right choices ", says the producer.

In order to promote his products, the entrepreneur participates in various events in the country where he interacts with consumers and presents his products to them. Igor is convinced that if people taste biscuits made from natural ingredients, consumers will appreciate them. Biscotini products can now be found in the networks of Linella, Unimarket and No 1 shops, and the manufacturer is looking for more offers for them to be found in several locations in the country.

“All businesses are hard and easy at the same time, if you take them seriously. I did not meet anything I could not cope with in developing my business. Of course, the main problem is the sale. It is good for a producer to sell as quickly as possible, "said Igor Furtuna.

Some friends followed Igor’s example and opened business with the help of the PARE 1 + 1 programme. Thus, they opened a chemical cleaning, a beauty salon in the Capital and a ceremony site in a rural municipality.

According to a study carried out by ODIMM, between 2010 and 2015, access to finance was facilitated for 612 companies, which made investments in the economy of RON 350 million, of which RON 133 million is the amount of grants transferred under the programme. In June 2016, 34 economic operators became beneficiaries of the PARE 1 + 1 Economic Discharge Programme. They are due to receive almost seven million lei in the value of a business development grant, which, having already started, will create more than 200 jobs.

The conditions for participation in the programme shall be as follows:

— Be a citizen of the Republic of Moldova;
Be a migrant worker from the Republic of Moldova or a first-degree relative – beneficiary of remittances;
— Intend to launch a business of its own in the Republic of Moldova or to develop an existing business;
Have own capital from remittances and be able to confirm, by submitting supporting documents, the origin of the financial means (employment contract; certificate of confirmation of salary/income; extract from bank accounts; copies of bank transfer orders, customs declarations).
In addition to the financial aid provided by the State, the programme also provides entrepreneurial advice and training, where participants are guided and supervised, information and provided with information material needed to start a business.
Finally, to ensure the sustainability of the business financed by the Programme and increase its profitability, companies are guided over 24 months.

Source: www.timpul.md