Article: “The inspiring story of Café Castelo” Journal de Québec
“The inspiring story of Café Castelo” Journal de Québec
When Prédrag Okuka, president of Café Castelo, left his native Yugoslavia to settle in Quebec with $20 in his pocket, it was clear that he wanted to take an active part in the development of his host society.
“I had absolutely nothing. We lost everything because of the war. To start the business, I picked strawberries and potatoes,” Mr. Okuka recounted.
To thank Quebec society for welcoming him with open arms, the businessman has set himself the goal of creating 100 jobs through his partners.
"It took a couple of years and we've moved beyond that," he stated.
Café Castelo produces Arabica coffee at its roasting plant in Lévis. Formerly located in the Vanier industrial park, the company moved last year to a building twice the size.
Relying on the loyalty of some fifteen partners who distribute his coffee, Mr. Okuka hopes to expand his network to reach the magic number of 300 jobs within five years. The new facilities in Lévis were designed to accommodate increased production.
“We work with our partners to train them and find territories,” added Mr. Okuka, emphasizing that his business model is not based on selling franchises since each owner is completely independent. Recently, Café Castelo launched gourmet coffees in K-Cup format compatible with Keurig brewing systems.
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