A new application wants you to be able to buy artisanal products directly from Romanian producers.

A new application wants you to be able to buy artisanal products directly from Romanian producers Two entrepreneurs with experience running companies in the culinary industry have launched an application that functions as a local producers' market – a market through which the buyer browses and chooses what they like. It is not the only initiative that wants to help consumers buy Romanian products in small quantities, but it may be one of the best thought out. Alin Șerban, former CEO of Tazz, and Călin Costinaș, former Deputy CEO of Profi, have launched Hambar, a mobile application where you can now find over 200 producers and over 4,000 products from all over the country. In six months, they want to reach over 600 producers and 10,000 products. The two started by analyzing the market and discovered that there are over 10,000 authorized producers who do not have many places to sell their products. They visited farms, talked to the people who make cheese, tomatoes, or zacuscă, and understood why it is difficult for them to reach customers: either they do not have the resources to promote, or they do not produce enough to be considered by large distributors, or they do not know where to start. “You are not allowed to let these things disappear” “We had the feeling of Avatar,” Alin Șerban said at the launch of the application. “That is, you've merged with another reality that you didn't know existed. With some people who have different units of measure. I am even fascinated by the people I have met, their stories, the passions they put in, the soul they put in. You are not allowed to let these things disappear. Unfortunately, in the current realities, there are no markets.” So they thought of a system to solve all their needs: they created thermal packaging (ice packs, to safely send milk and snacks), insulating boxes and bags (which keep the temperature constant for up to 72h), they contracted a courier company that does not require you to print the transport order (because producers do not have printers), and, most importantly, the application covers the transport costs anywhere in Romania and the European Union. In return, Hambar deducts a commission from each order – 25%. According to market information, delivery platforms in cities (those that bring food from restaurants) charge commissions of around 35-40%, which means that the percentage requested by Hambar is not very high. We checked if the products on the application are more expensive due to this commission. For example, for a peanut butter from a local producer, the price is 5 lei more than in the own store (32 compared to 27), but significantly cheaper than in other online stores that distribute it. So the sum is transferred only partially to the end consumer, at least in this case. All producers must have legal personality, be verified through a detailed visit – they have 20 people who deal with these verifications – and then can list their products themselves. One or 200, they have no limit. Orders go directly to the producers, who package them – they all received the special packaging with the Hambar seal – and send them. The platform currently offers: zacuscă, jams, sweets, honey and meat products, cheeses and dairy products, fish specialties, pastry products, pork meat and snacks, ham, cattle, poultry and game, as well as vegetables and seasonal fruits. The drinks category includes wines from small and medium wineries, artisanal beer, spirits, plum brandy, liqueurs, juices and syrups, and for special occasions, packages are also available that combine several products from the same producer. Similar Models It is not the only initiative that tries to help small producers find a market and those interested in their products to find them. ROMO, for example, is a system created in Brașov based on a Finnish model, where, with the help of a Facebook group, the verified producers announce their offers (fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meat, eggs, desserts, honey) weekly and take orders from customers. After payment (always in advance), the producers deliver the order within a temporary market organized in a mall in the city. The model was replicated in Bucharest (with delivery in Corbeanca). ROMO ensures that the producers are authentic – farms and production laboratories verify them – and deals with the organization of the market. But this system does not allow the delivery of products to the customer's home and orders are made on a public group, where anyone can see what purchases you make. Other systems are fairs, such as Artisan Food Market or the fairs from the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, but not only, where producers rent a stand and sell directly. Not recently, almost all large supermarket chains, but also online supermarkets, have sections with local products. In this case, the company collects the products from artisans and sells them in its own stores or delivers them by courier. Hambar is the first to offer the convenience of online shopping that has become a standard for consumers: a mobile application, card payment, courier delivery. Besides this, the products are packaged and sent directly from farms, without going through intermediaries. The system has the potential to offer both parties, the producer and the consumer, what they need.