About ten years ago, Silvija Repić left a stable job and decided to start her own business. And not just any business. She decided to venture into production, specifically hummus, a fine spread made from chickpeas and tahini popular in Eastern cuisine. For a large number of consumers, hummus was nothing more than a term for soil, but Silvija decided to take the risk and market the product despite the fact that there was practically no market for it.
On that decision, and the risk it entailed, she began to build the company Sana Delicacies, which today boasts over 200 products in the healthy food category, from spreads and spices to falafel and plant-based cheeses. In a conversation with manager Sandra Babić, she reveals what it’s like to decide to enter a business where the market does not yet exist, what is more challenging – producing a good product or selling it to customers, and which marketing strategies have proven to be the most effective. She also discusses the unique dynamics of her business partnership with her father, how long the journey from idea to store shelves takes, and what the biggest failures and unexpected hits from Sana’s portfolio have been. Through her experience, she shares lessons on sales and marketing that anyone building a business can apply, and reveals what the secret to perfect hummus actually is.
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