Today we’d like to introduce you to Karreno Alexanyan.
Hi Karreno, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The idea of Charqute came during the pandemic when all the restaurants were closing and all the events were being canceled. During that time, I was working as a private chef and a caterer for various events, and unfortunately my business was affected greatly, as one by one all my bookings got canceled. I had to think quickly to find an alternative way to make extra cash to pay for all my expenses. Since people couldn’t do any large gatherings, many opted for smaller get-togethers. During that time, one of my existing clients reached out to me and asked if I could make a small charcuterie board. Previously, I had made her a grazing table and she wanted something similar on a smaller scale. I didn’t think much of it but decided to give it shot, and it came out quite beautifully. Her friends were impressed with the board, and the next day they placed several orders. I recognized a potential business idea, and quickly put a website together while posting about it on social media.
With a lot of hard work and community involvement, I was able to raise awareness about the business. I also had to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there discussing my new business venture. I started doing TikTok lives and showing people how to create charcuterie boards from different stores. Several of those videos went viral with great traction, leading to national partnerships with big brands; such as Netflix, Paramount Pictures, and The 99 Cents Only Stores etc. With consistency and a lot of hard work, the business has expanded beyond charcuterie boards and now includes several products such as aprons, cheese knife sets, and wine opening sets, just to name a few. As Charqute expands and the team grows, there are many more wonderful projects in the horizon that we’re looking to complete in 2023.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Product development and inventory management has been a struggle. Working internationally with people I’ve never met could take a lot of time that I wasn’t anticipating. Additionally, storing the products at large quantities can also be an issue in order to save on cost, so there’s definitely a lot of things to think about when managing this process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
What sets us apart from our competition is that we make everything very fresh (same day) and we always do everything in the most sustainable fashion. All of our boxes and boards are reusable and we use biodegradable coverings. Our merchandise is also of great quality. We’re also able to customize a lot of our boards with cheese letters and provide vegetarian, vegan, and pork-free charcuterie boards. We don’t charge anything additional for dietary restrictions like other competitors. I’m proud of how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time as a brand and even though we are a small team, with the help of family and friends, we were able to work with such big names and collaborate with people that we truly wanted to. Our goal is to put a smile on every customer’s face when they receive our products and to love what we make both design-wise and quality-wise.
What makes you happy?
Outside of seeing my business be successful, one of the most important things that makes me happy is spending quality time with my friends and family. Also, setting aside time for myself to relax and to recenter my thoughts. For example, making time to read a book. I also love seeing my friends or people around me achieve their dreams and become successful. I like helping people however I can. Happiness is contagious.
Contact Info:
- Website: charqute.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/charqute
- Other: tiktok.com/@charquteofficial
