Customer portrait Lefka Emporio
"No matter how our storage needs evolve, Zebrabox is the place to be!" The story of Lefka Emporio demonstrates how Zebrabox's services adapt with the growing storage needs of start-ups.
High-quality Greek specialities in the middle of Bern's old town? This has been available at Lefka Emporio on Münstergasse since 2013. Find out why Lefka Emporio was founded, how they have developed and why they use Zebrabox storage in this article.
Help in a crisis
The company's history began in 2013 when the economic crisis hit Greece with full force. Apostolos Valavnis and Samuel von Gunten wanted to help Greek producers and at the same time bring the best Greek food to the Swiss capital. This is how it came about, the idea of a specialist shop for high-quality Greek food from fair trade and controlled cultivation without wasting resources.
Today, they still have a close relationship with the producers. This allows interested customers to be offered tours of the growing regions and farms.
Growth and its problems
At the beginning, these products were only sold to private customers and they didn't have their own store. However, due to their continued success, they felt compelled to open a shop. Lefka Emporio also has various restaurant businesses among its customers and the successful concept has been expanded with a take-away and catering service.
One problem with growth was finding suitable storage space near the shop in the centre of Bern because the space in the shop soon became too small. As an importer, they had various requirements for their storage unit. Among other things, this included an unloading facility for pallets delivered by lorries and good storage conditions for the food.
High demands on storage space
Zebrabox offers a parcel acceptance and direct storage service, which is particularly appreciated. It eliminates the need for additional journeys. Other factors such as 24/7 access to the storage unit, waste removal and an easy-going and friendly approach also make it easier to concentrate on the core business. As a company in the start-up phase, this is incredibly valuable, says Von Gunten.
Von Gunten is particularly happy with Zebrabox’s flexible expansion options. With the growth of Lefka Emporio, more and more things (e.g. take-away dishes and gift packaging) had to be stored and so the need for storage increased. "Thanks to Zebrabox's flexible options, we were able to easily move to a larger storage unit," says Von Gunten.
Time will tell how Lefka Emporio continues to develop in the future. For now, the founders can be more than satisfied with the growth so far, as can the Greek farmers, who can look forward to a better future. Even though the future is still unknown, von Gunten is already certain about one thing: "No matter how our storage needs evolve, Zebrabox is the place to be."