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YOGURTERIA Albania Dream
Yogurteria has the perfect characteristics to be a profitable business. But rather than on the economic side, we have been focused on the education of the clients with the taste of the icecream made of yogurt. Bit by bit, we are trying to create a share of the market, all ours, through opening shops in the key hotspots of Tirana and Durrës. We are testing the market to widen it in the franchising format.” This is what the Founder of Yogurteria Albania, Alketa Zyfi states in an exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE. Yogurteria Albania started in 2012 and Zyfi was inspired by her previous work experiences in Italy, one of which was in a pleasant yogurteria shop. “During my studies in Italy, I worked in a very pleasant Yogurteria which was a family business. The place was very pleasant and the products were very healthy. It was exactly what I wish my Tirana had too,” she says. Today Yogurteria represents a network of 5 shops. It looks like many others are going to come. “We have a dream in our head: to see our brand all over where Albanian language is spoken. To create a network of franchaising in Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece,” Zyfi concludes.
How did you come up with the idea of starting a yogurteria shop in Tirana? What do you remember from the beginnings of this business?
Upon the completion of my university studies on foreign relations in Italy, my dream was to be back in Albania and give my contribution to the political and
social life of my own country. It was not that the Albanian reality welcomed me with open arms, so I faced many employment difficulties. The various experiences in the private sector and in public institutions gave me the impression that I was not doing my best. I was not expressing myself. I could not see a secure future for myself. My constant fear was that if I would fail to find a proper job, I had to leave Albania. I did not want that to happen. I come from a big family with two sisters and one brother. All of them live abroad for 25 years now. I did not want to leave my parents alone. So, alongside with my partner, we decided to open a small selfemployment business. During my studies in Italy, I worked in a very pleasant Yogurteria which was a family business. The place was very pleasant and the products were very healthy. It was exactly what I wish my Tirana had too. It was 2012. I remember we had a shop not even 15 square meters. I worked with my husband all day long. We brought every product and every machine from Italy. We were distinguished for our very friendly communication way with the clients and the interest we would show towards every demand of theirs. The main aim was to make people familiar with yogurt, give them the chance to try it and never leave the shop unsatisfied. It was working out. Since the first month of operation, we managed to create a very enjoyable network of clients, fond of yogurt rather than of the milky ice creams.
It is a saying “Do you want to make a billion dollars? Start a yogurt company!”
Yogurteria has the perfect characteristics to be a profitable business. But rather than on the economic side, we have been focused on the education of the
clients with the taste of the icecream made of yogurt. Bit by bit, we are trying to create a share of the market, all ours, through opening shops in the key hotspots of Tirana and Durrës. We are testing the market to widen it in the franchising format. As a product, the yogurt is very healthy, light and as an ice cream, it has an unique taste. It is easily combined with fresh fruits, chocolate sauces, jams and dry fruits. Depending on the combination, unique tastes can be created which can replace the desserts, the breakfast or can be turned into a full meal if combined with muesli and fruits. There are myriads of combinations. It can be combined with waffles, crepes or churros. In my view, the production of frozen yogurt has opened a whole world of tastes and combinations. Of course, I would like to share my experience with all the main cities of Albania and if I manage to find the perfect collaborators for franchising, the economic side too will take care of itself.
Are you more than a yogurt maker? What are the main products you offer and how healthy they are? Can you highlight their healthy benefits?
Yogurteria is not only my work. Nowadays it represents a network of 5 shops, which in various periods of the year, employs up to 45 young girls under 25 years old. The majority of these girls are employed without
asking them for previous work experience. They are hired for their excellent human skills, behaviors and manners. Our king product is frozen Yogurt which is produced by fresh milk and sour milk only. The yogurt calories are 60% less than in a cup of vanilla ice cream.
The frozen yogurt maintains all the nutritive values of the sour milk and the milk. The only thing added is the flavor. The other products we make are somewhat international recipes. I travel a lot and I try to bring to Albania the original recipes of the products I love. From Belgium, we have brought the original recipe of Brussels waffles which are soft inside and crispy outside. From Madrid, we have just brought Churros, an unique recipe of a traditional Spanish and South American dessert. It just gets into your blood. Churros are desserts fried on the spot which are accompanied with hot chocolate, ice cream and Nutella. Now we are working in group to make part of our shops’ menus even a small list of the selected desserts, all unique tastes different from the culture of the desserts in Albania. For the moment, we have a fantastic project in the pipeline which consists in bringing original tastes of the typical desserts from Vienna, Rome, London or Paris.
What pushed you in the direction of flavor seasonality and creative designs?
Our products are distinguished for their stunning presentations. Besides the tastes, they are very
catchy for our clients who cannot lose the chance to make photos of them. The presentation and image of our products help us to easily create a very pleasant and attractive marketing. By using various seasonal fruits, the combination of the cups and plates becomes healthier and more colorful.
Do you have plans to expand your business in a near future?
We have a dream in our head: to see our brand all over where Albanian language is spoken. To create a network of franchaising in Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece. Our dream is that the pink and white colors paint the main centers of the cities. That our taste be a daily choice of yours, an assurance. If you want something sweet to taste, surely you have to think of our Yogurt, waffles, churros or ice creams.
