Business as unusual – My Greek Fat Wraps
Theodora Stratioglou of My Greek Fat Wraps spoke to us about the changes they’ve made…
How did your business operate before the lockdown?
We are a small family and friend business who usually trade at the Frome Independent market and were making for all kinds of events/festivals. We also had a constant place for our food trailer at Clark’s village offering Greek wraps – souvlaki.
What are the main changes you’ve made since the lockdown and what challenges have you faced?
Loosing time was not an option, as this business is our only source of income and no help was given by the government for the mobile caterers.
We adapted quickly offering delivery of the Greek wraps, keeping our high level of quality and service and affordable prices. Dimitris had to keep doing what he always knew best to do: wrapping delicious souvlaki!
God was always there by our side showing the way day by day through all the challenges we were facing – it was not an easy job!
Challenge number 1: how we would pay our rents and bills with no cash flow… All our money hadgone to several bookings of events and festivals that were cancelled or postponed and still there are a lot of events that we haven’t been refunded for!
Challenge number 2: kids at home (I have two, Dimitris and Aspasia have four, total six kids!)
Challenge number 3: find supplies, enough fresh vegetables and do the shopping!!!!!
Challenge number 4: finding the right staff.
Challenge number 5: where would we operate from?
Challenge number 6: go along with all the new health regulations. Thank goodness we are Ncass members and their guidelines were immediate and very helpful. We adapted easily to all the changes introduced by the Government.
What has been the response from your customers?
We only received love and support and we try to give this love back preparing our food with extra care, trying to make it more delicious every day. Frome people are really great. We feel so graetful!
Our beloved friend Anna Karlsson created our delivery web site in the time of two weeks losing her sleep in order to help us offer a contactless service for orders and payments. She really did a great job.
If/when things return to ‘normal’ will you continue with any of the changes you’ve had to make?
Well, we are going step by step, trying to go where the wind blows, as we say in Greece… We definitely can’t wait to trade again at the Frome Independent – we miss the market and the people soooo much! And if our customers want us to keep delivering after the lock down, why not?
Do you think this experience will have a long-term effect on the direction of your business?
I can’t tell right now. The only thing that I strongly believe is that only positive changes will happen! And local community feels so nice…
My Greek Fat Wraps are delivering to BA11 postcodes only, Tuesday – Saturday. Times vary. Visit their website for more details and to order.
