Pavel Zingan in an interview with Angela Chelaru, founder of Fresh&Joy, maib business customer.
You've been in business since 1995, nearing an impressive 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. What inspired you to embark on this journey back in 1995?
The idea came to me while I was on maternity leave. Previously, I had worked as a chartered accountant and gained commerce experience. However, I realized I didn't want to return to my former job; instead, I envisioned myself as an independent entrepreneur. 1995 was a year of significant change for the country, and I was determined to be part of it. I needed to find a field where I could start a business with minimal investment: my maternity benefits. My decision was intuitive, despite just graduating from the Faculty of Commerce and Economics at the State University of Moldova. The idea of running a business was entirely new to me, as during the Soviet period, there was no notion of 'business'. It was a brave new world, and I was ready to explore it.
We initially earned our capital from importing household products, explicitly cleaning products. This was convenient for us because these items had no expiration date and did not require special conditions for transportation and storage, unlike food products. Additionally, cleaning products were always in demand, and there was little competition in the market then. We began by importing a few items from Romania and Poland.
Today, you are not just an importer- you are one of the local producers of household products. When did you start your production?
In 2000, at an Economic Forum, we met our future business partners from Slovenia, who offered to supply us with raw materials. We also found equipment abroad to produce cleaning wipes. This is how we established our production and registered the Fresh&Joy brand. The first products we manufactured independently were cleaning wipes made from rubber fabrics, viscose, and cotton. It was an excellent period for our business, with significant sales growth and high product demand.
What is the Fresh&Joy range today?
Everything you need for quick and high-quality cleaning and maintaining cleanliness at home and in the office. We offer sponges, biodegradable fabric cleaning wipes, and mats made from specially developed fabrics in various sizes for kitchens and bathrooms. Importantly, we use recycled materials in our production.
Have you ever wanted to explore other business directions?
We made a few attempts to diversify our business. After launching production, sales increased significantly. We wanted to try something new—we launched an online store, opened a café, and created a clothing line. Not all projects were successful, but I’m glad we took risks and tried. Additionally, these projects allowed for personal fulfilment in areas I’ve always been interested in but never had time to pursue.
What was that area for you?
Sewing. It was a passion I had postponed for a long time, but it has always held a special place in my heart. In my family, several women have sewn from generation to generation. I watched my grandmother and mother work with fabric, and although I was sure I could do it just as well, I delayed it for a long time. Finally, I was able to pursue this interest and it brought me immense personal fulfillment.
In 2014, I embarked on a journey to create my first collection of homeware. While it may not have been a commercial success, the personal satisfaction and sense of achievement it brought me was immeasurable.
Did you have to stop sewing?
I returned to sewing in 2020 during the pandemic. Fresh&Joy primarily served B2B and HoReCa clients, relying heavily on restaurants and cafes. With these businesses facing a severe crisis, many had to suspend operations or shut down completely. During this period, I rediscovered my passion for sewing and began to focus on further developing this skill. Initially, we started making bed linens and eventually found our niche in home textiles. This marked the inception of Fresh&Joy - Home Décor.
What fabrics do you use?
I like working with natural fabrics the most. We work with Belarusian suppliers because they have the highest quality linen fabrics, and I can assure you that this is one of the best fabrics on the market. We have other fabrics in our range, including water-repellent fabrics. These, of course, cannot be 100% natural as they have a different specific application. We sew tablecloths, table decorations, and napkins. We do tailor-made work, customize the customer's product, and, if necessary, brand it. With Fresh&Joy - Home Décor, we actively participate in various fairs in Chișinău, where customers can acquaint themselves with our products and purchase them.
You have encountered different crises in your 30 years of entrepreneurship and have been able to test your potential in several domains. Do you have any advice for starting entrepreneurs?
Always choose reliable partners and strive for quality. Avoid chasing high volumes of cheap products. Instead, focus on a smaller quantity of higher-quality products or services. And, of course, always try to build long-term and solid relationships with suppliers or partners. These relationships are the backbone of your business, providing stability and trust. For example, our banking partner - maib - has been with us since 1995, when we established the company. We have been through loans, crises and many other situations together.
What was the purpose of your first loan?
We invested in purchasing our premises. We plan to expand our production space, which will require significant investment. Of course, once again, maib will be a reliable partner to whom we are very grateful for the cooperation.
