Presentation of the exchange:
The country of the exchange was UK at the company named “Vorrei Ltd.” and the country where the NE comes from is Italy.
The HEs are: Luca and Nicola Pagliaro, co-owners of the company.
The NE is: Serena Collorafi
The sector of activity was: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
Picture 1. The Host Entrepreneurs: Luca Pagliaro and Nicola Pagliaro at their office, co-owner of the company “Vorrei Ltd”
Picture 2. I and Luca Pagliaro during WTM Fair in London
Picture 3. I at the stand during BBC Good Food show in Olympia, London
October 2015
At first the NE has known the HE’s company (Vorrei Ltd.) and the organization, the office, the warehouse, the company structure shadowing Luca and Nicola Pagliaro. They were really nice and helpful so in short time I have understood the company operations.
The topic was the food trading online, in particular Vorrei Ltd manages an e-commerce platform to sell online Italian foods and ship them to the final customers in England, especially in areas near Cambridge and London.
The first assignment was the study of the UK market depending on the different kind of customers. The NE has immediately observed the differences between the Italian market and the UK’s ones. From the study of the taste’s customers the NE has noticed what kind of products was more appreciated and what kind was not. Italian food is present in every single supermarket or shop gourmet and the prices are really high respect the Italian market. So the exportation from Italy to UK could be really easy. This situation also depends on the current financial exchange between pound and euro.
November 2015
The HE was willing to start a new cooperation with agents on the territory around London, so the NE has shadowed him during several meetings. Furthermore they’ve taken part to the World Travel Market (WTM) Fair in London as guests in the Italian stand. It was a fair about tourism with expositions from every countries worldwide so food and tourism are perfectly linked to attract people.
The WTM Fair was located in London at the Excel Exhibition Center near Prince Regent station from 2nd to 5th november 2015.
After this event they worked hard about the plan of the BBC Good Food Show London where the company Vorrei Ltd should have taken part on the dates from 13th to 15th November. So the NE has edited the documents requested and we have choosen the kind of products to show there.
The BBC Show was located at Olympia Center in the heart of London near South Kensington where many local producers bring delicious foods to discover and buy. They include a wide variety of conserves, curds, chutneys, spices, cakes. The visitors can try before buy the food, many of wich are not easy to find on the shops.
During the whole period the NE was in contact with the HIO, so the NE has met the tutor Alexandra Yaghil and they have focused about the activities planned and the documents. In the following pictures they are in a bar after the meeting.
During the second part of November the NE has studied the UK market trend about the medium and the luxury targets, analysing the customer’s taste. The NE has visited many supermarkets and gourmet shops, comparing the prices and the quality.
December 2015
At last the NE and the HE have planned to cooperate in the future, infact Vorrei Ltd buys food from Italy and after sells it to the final customers in UK by e-commerce, so the NE could be a good partner about the sales managing and they are organized some meetings in Italy with possible suppliers with who the HE could deal in the future.
Profile of the entrepreneurs:
New Entrepreneur (NE) :
Name and surname: Serena Collorafi
Email: serenacollorafi@yahoo.it
Duration of the exchange: 3 months from 1st October 2015 to 31nd december 2015
Sector of activity: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
The NE was looking for: learning the market knowledge and the management experience from the host entrepreneurs by shadowing them. It’s really interesting to learn how the Host Entrepreneurs have created their business in the United Kingdom, that is really different from the italian economy.
Host Entrepreneur (HE) :
Co-owner of the company Vorrei Ltd. (name and surname) : Nicola Pagliaro and Luca Pagliaro
Sector of activity: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
Company name: Vorrei Ltd.
Address: Chroma House, Shire Hill CB9 3AQ, Saffron Walden, United Kingdom
The HE was looking for: enhancing his businee by the identification of potential partners in other EU countries and by networking, building on knowledge and experience from other European countries. The HE wanted to share his entrepreneurial experience with the NE while working together and developing entrepreneurial skills and know-how.
Quote of the NE
I have learned the management strategies and the advertising activities by the HE and I’m more ready to start my personal business in the future.
Definitely this experience in UK allowed me to improve my professional and personal skills.
Staying abroad I was forced to adapt myself on different situations. I have had search a good accommodation, but it was really hard because the prices and the location. In that period I have share the apartment with other 2 people and it was a challenge to me because in Italy I live alone and I have my daily habits. In UK I have had use frugally the money because every things is more expensive than in Italy. I have met many people different from me, I have taken on difficulties caused by the foreign language but I have improved my skills about this.
My tutors Anna Sarateanu (Ita) and Alexandra Yaghil (Uk) were helpful and they were my landmarks about work and about lifestyle problems. I never felt alone and I have discovered my capabilities and my lacks, so now I’m more aware about myself and I’m ready to carry on.
Quote of the HE
During the period of work with the NE, we received a fresh perspectives on the business by the NE’s point of view, so it’s really important to innovate our way to work in team.
With the NE we got the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners or learn about new markets (Italy that’s the country where the NE comes from).
Definitely it was a precious opportunity for having a business growth and a new personal experience.
New and experienced entrepreneurs shall apply for the programme via the web page www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu
For further information about the programme:
Ms. A. Sarateanu, CSCS
This article was funded by the European Union’s COSME Programme (2014-2020).
The content of this article represents the views of the author only and it is her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Executive Agency of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
