"The strong ambitions of a thirsty new generation
Source : https://www.hrimag.com/Anja-Okuka-Cafe-Castelo-Les-ambitions-corsees-d-une-releve-assoiffee
Last Thursday, on the stage of the Capitole de Québec, Anja Okuka was ecstatic. Named Young Business Personality in the "Retail Business" category, the director of business development at Café Castelo is taking full advantage of the ceremony, alongside the seven other finalists of this 27th Gala (including Patrice Plante, aka "Mr. Cocktail", and nutritionist Hubert Cormier). Delighted to be there, the young lady almost forgets the "competition" aspect of the evening. And when she learns that the Jeune chambre de commerce de Québec awards her the title of Young Business Personality 2018 and that she also wins the "Coup de cœur Banque Nationale" award, Anja Okuka quickly goes from shock and amazement to incredible happiness. "A roller coaster of emotions!" she sums up.
If the jury seems to have been touched by her personal journey and that of her family, it was also seduced by the ambitions, the human qualities and the precocious wisdom of this dynamic 26-year-old leader. I am naturally very inclined towards others," she says. It's not only the company that counts, it's also all the people behind it.
Established in Quebec City in 1996 and founded by the winner's parents, Predrag and Nikolina Okuka, Café Castelo is a roasting house specializing in high quality coffees. In recent years, the company has entered the capsule market, particularly to conquer the hotel industry and offices. The capsules are aluminum-free, made of 100% recyclable plastic, without flavor enhancers and at one of the most competitive costs," says the director with pride. And in a capsule industry dominated by multinationals, why not bet on a Quebec player? This well-rehearsed and effective approach has convinced several hotels in the National Capital Region, from the Château Frontenac to the Best Western.
"I want to be that next generation.
But Anja Okuka and her troops obviously don't intend to stop there. In addition to two eponymous establishments (on Maguire and Cartier), Café Castelo products are now distributed in some 15 partner boutiques and in an ever-growing list of retail outlets. This model allows us to reach far, far away," explains the entrepreneur. Last year, for example, we set foot in Rimouski. And Montreal? We would obviously like to settle there via future projects, confesses Anja. But we want to find the right partners, to be sure that they share our passion for coffee.
Honored by her peers, the young woman believes that the awards received last Thursday, in addition to offering her an important visibility and to circulate her name, will have allowed to put a face on the company, to insist on the indispensable human aspect that must take, nowadays, the business relations.
The evening also had the positive effect of demonstrating the involvement and motivation of Quebec's next generation of entrepreneurs," says the young woman. I've been working for the company for 10 years," she explains. I've held several positions, from barista to development director. My parents quickly involved me in the decision-making process, so that I really understood what a company is, what it represents. And Okuka now accepts her role as the next generation of baristas with confidence and without any pressure. "In my mind, it all became concrete about a year ago: I am going to take over Café Castelo. I want to take it over. I want to be that successor."
