Flavours of Growth: How Raluca Țeposu turned a catering startup into one of Romania’s leading culinary ecosystems
More than twenty years after launching Flavours Group, Romanian entrepreneur Raluca Țeposu continues to shape Romania’s modern food and hospitality landscape through a mix of creativity, consistency, and care. What began in 2002 as a small…
Romania Insider
· Updated · 11 min read
More than twenty years after launching Flavours Group, Romanian entrepreneur Raluca Țeposu continues to shape Romania’s modern food and hospitality landscape through a mix of creativity, consistency, and care. What began in 2002 as a small catering company built on the simple idea that “food should be about joy, connection, and good energy” has evolved into a thriving ecosystem of brands – from Stradale and Mitzu to Flavours Events and innovative new concepts like Stradale Inside and SnackAttack.
In this interview, Raluca Țeposu discusses how the group has grown responsibly and sustainably, serving over 6 million people annually across more than 35 locations in Bucharest and Cluj. She reflects on navigating a shifting economic landscape while staying true to the company’s core philosophy of quality, innovation, and relevance.
“We’ve grown responsibly, step by step, without shortcuts. Flavours Group is a serious business, built with care – not launched overnight,” she says.
Read the full interview below:
Please tell us how the Flavours Group started and what the group looks like today. How many brands does the group have and what segment does each brand serve?
Raluca Țeposu: We started Flavours Group in 2002 from a simple but powerful idea: that food should be about joy, connection and good energy – not just a meal on a plate. Over the years, we’ve built a diverse ecosystem around this philosophy. Thus, what began as a small catering company grew into a group of brands shaped by curiosity, passion, creativity and a deep understanding of how people eat, live and work today.
Stradale is the heart of our group – rethinking lunch for busy people in offices and schools, with fresh food cooked daily. At our Stradale restaurants, we serve an average of 15.000 people daily, within a two-hour interval at noon, which requires a solid operational know-how, a well-oiled system we have perfected in years of practice. Mitzu, our coffee shop concept, lives side by side with Stradale in most locations, turning them into all-day spaces for healthy snacks, good coffee and community. Our events division, Flavours creates customised experiences for companies and individuals alike. And through new concepts, like SnackAttack or Stradale Inside, we keep adding formats, spaces and audiences – always looking for ways to stay relevant and one step ahead.
Today, we operate more than 35 locations across Bucharest and Cluj, serving over 6 million people every year. We’re proud to say we’ve grown responsibly, step by step, without shortcuts. Flavours Group is a serious business, built with care – not launched overnight. And that mindset guides us every day.
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Looking back at the past year, how would you summarize Flavours Group’s evolution? What contributed most to the group’s growth in 2024?
Raluca Țeposu: I’d say 2024 was a year of healthy growth. We reached €16.8 million turnover, a 21.7% year-on-year increase, and doubled our operating profit. Investments in development amounted to €1 million. However, in terms of business strategy, we focused less on volume and more on consistency, fine-tuning our operations and strengthening what we already had. This allowed us to grow in a balanced way – not just bigger, but better.
One of the key drivers was the new wave of employees who returned to the office. As more people came back to their workplace routines last year, our Stradale restaurants and Mitzu cafés saw a clear increase in traffic, especially midweek. We also saw strong momentum in our be-spoke events division – Flavours – where the number of corporate and private events increased significantly, even if budgets stayed flat. This urged us to stay agile and become more creative in how we design culinary experiences.
Another contributor was our strategic expansion in the educational space. Stradale Carnivale, our concept for schools, became a real growth engine, both in terms of numbers and purpose. The star project of 2024 was the opening of the first Stradale Carnivale restaurant in a school situated in Cluj, inside the prestigious Transylvania College, with an investment of over €350,000. Education is a segment we believe in deeply – not only in terms of business potential, but also because it aligns with our long-term mission: to bring healthy, affordable food into people’s everyday lives – from early on.
Overall, 2024 proved that our business model is solid. We’ve built a resilient, diversified structure that can grow sustainably, even in a challenging economic climate.
What are your estimates for 2025 in terms of business growth and new investments? Have the recent changes in the local economic context influenced your plans?
Raluca Țeposu: Despite a more complex economic context, we’re staying focused and optimistic about 2025. We’ve budgeted around 1,2 million euros in total investments this year, with 900,000 euros allocated for launching new locations and the rest dedicated to upgrading and optimising our existing ones. It’s a clear signal that we’re committed to building for the long term, even if we keep a close eye on how the market evolves.
In terms of business outlook, we’re anticipating another year of healthy growth in 2025 – we estimate a 25% increase in turnover, driven mainly by the new units becoming operational and by the consistent performance of our existing brands.
We’ve already kicked off the second half of the year with three important launches in September: Genesis Cafeteria & Coffee Shop, a new location inside the prestigious Genesis College, a Stradale Inside restaurant in a corporate building in Bucharest, and Flavours Garden – our newest venue for private events. These projects are not only aligned with our strategic pillars but also speak to our flexibility and speed in execution.
So yes, we are aware of the challenges – from inflation to fiscal unpredictability – but we’re not hitting the brakes. We’re simply navigating with more caution. We've adapted by focusing on operational efficiency and staying consistently relevant. We're also aware of the latest shifts in consumer habits – in light of the current unpredictable economic climate, people have become more selective, value-conscious. We address these challenges by constantly innovating, testing new concepts and adding positive change in the lives of the communities we serve. We believe that sustainable growth doesn’t mean expanding at any cost, but making smart, well-timed decisions that add real value.
You've launched several new concepts recently: Stradale Inside, Stradale SnackAttack, Flavours. What differentiates them, and how do they support your established brands and broader business strategy?
Raluca Țeposu: Over the past year, we have indeed strategically expanded our portfolio with new concepts. The goal was to grow our business by addressing distinct consumer needs and market gaps – and that’s what makes these new concepts stand out.
Stradale Inside was developed for office buildings with restricted access, where a traditional restaurant model simply wouldn’t work. Here, we bring the Stradale experience directly inside corporate campuses, adapting the format while keeping the same quality and care in execution.
Stradale SnackAttack is our response to the fast-paced lifestyle of city dwellers. It's an Asian-inspired concept, launched in high-traffic areas like Europe House in Bucharest, offering a fast, accessible and bold, vibrant Asian menu. It helps us reach a new type of consumer and expand beyond the lunch-only segment.
Flavours, on the other hand, is a natural extension of our catering expertise. It’s a full-service event concept that blends operational efficiency with a high level of customisation. Whether it’s a private celebration or a large corporate event, our mission is to create memorable experiences – down to the smallest detail.
Together, these new concepts allow us to create more touchpoints with existing clients and serve a wider range of consumer behaviours – from casual dining and on-the-go meals to institutional partnerships and corporate events. More than that, they support our long-term goal of being present wherever people work, gather or celebrate – always with the same unmistakable Flavours signature.
How would you describe the role of the Stradale + Mitzu within your group?
Raluca Țeposu: The two brands come together in a complementary way that certainly plays a central role in our group’s growth and daily operations. Often implemented in the same location, Stradale and Mitzu offer our customers a complete culinary offering that goes beyond just having lunch. Stradale brings fresh, high-quality meals in a vibrant setting, while Mitzu complements this experience by offering specialty coffee, healthy snacks, and breakfast options – creating a natural flow of customers throughout the day.
This combination allows us to serve our customers more frequently and in more moments of their day, increasing both engagement and loyalty. It's also a highly scalable model: we’ve already implemented it in 25 locations across Bucharest and Cluj, and it continues to prove its value by strengthening our presence within urban communities.
But beyond business metrics, it reflects our broader mission – to be a relevant, daily presence in people’s lives, offering quality, convenience and care, all under one roof.
How has technology and digitalization influenced your business in recent years?
Raluca Țeposu: Technology and digitalisation have become essential pillars of how we operate, scale, and serve our customers. Over the past few years, we've made significant strides in streamlining operations through data-driven decision-making, especially in areas like supply chain, stock management, and customer flow during peak hours. These improvements help us manage our resources more efficiently and deliver a consistent experience, even when serving thousands of meals in a short time window.
On the customer side, our Stradale App has become a key touchpoint. It allows people to check the daily menu, order ahead, and manage payments – all designed to make their experience faster, easier, and more enjoyable. We see it as more than a convenience tool; it’s a way to stay connected to our community and respond to their evolving needs. Ultimately, digitalisation supports our ambition to scale responsibly, without losing the human touch that defines the Flavours experience.
Your brands are increasingly present at major events and through key partnerships. What role do these collaborations play in your visibility and positioning?
Raluca Țeposu: Being present as a catering partner to major events and forging key collaborations has become a strategic way for us to stay culturally relevant and connect with our audiences in meaningful ways. These partnerships go far beyond visibility – they’re about showcasing what Flavours Group stands for, what our expertise and passion can bring, in settings that are energetic, diverse, and emotionally charged.
Over the past years, we’ve built a consistent presence at some of Romania’s most iconic music events. We’ve been part of the UNTOLD journey for 7 consecutive editions, catering both for staff and celebrity artists, on some occasions, and delivering a culinary experience that matches the scale and creativity of a major festival. In 2024, we catered for the teams which organized the Coldplay concert in Bucharest, a landmark event with international audience. Moreover, this year we joined the 1st edition of Kapital Festival.
At the same time, we take pride in our long-standing commitment to the world of sports, as a way to support a healthy lifestyle and connect with communities. This year, we contributed with VIP catering and sales points during the National Swimming Championships for Seniors, Youth, and Juniors I-II (April 2025), as well as the World Junior Swimming Championships (August 2025). We also partnered with CSM Bucharest to support the club’s initiatives promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle. As long-term partners and active supporters of athletic performance, we believe in the power of community, balanced living, and positive energy. Our recent partnerships with CSM Bucharest Handball and the Volleyball & Beach Volleyball reflect our commitment to supporting champions both on and off the field.
These collaborations allow us to stay top-of-mind with new and existing communities. Whether it’s through tailored menus, mobile units, or immersive food zones, we use these opportunities to express our brand identity and values in real time. Ultimately, they reinforce our positioning as a modern, trusted, and forward-thinking player in HoReCa – and help us build long-term emotional connections with people, in moments that matter.
Healthy eating and sustainability are important themes for Flavours. How do you bring these values to life in your day-to-day operations?
Raluca Țeposu: Healthy eating and sustainability are not just trends for us – they’re part of how we build and run our business. We believe in food that can be both delicious and nourishing, and that small, consistent actions lead to meaningful, long-term impact. We bring these values to life through carefully designed menus across all our brands, with a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients and well-balanced meals. Whether it’s a Stradale lunch, a Mitzu snack, or a Flavours event, we aim to offer choices both accessible and enjoyable.
One of the most exciting developments on this front is Stradale Carnivale, our concept tailored specifically for educational institutions. Here, we don’t just serve food – we introduce children and young adults to the idea that healthy eating can be fun, diverse and flavourful. We see this as an investment in younger generations, helping shape better food habits from an early age, in an environment where children spend most of their time.
Sustainability plays a central role in our operations. We are focused on building a more responsible ecosystem – from minimising food waste and optimising purchasing to introducing zero waste practices and engaging suppliers who align with our values. Technology supports us here as well, helping streamline inventory and reduce excess. Ultimately, we see healthy eating and sustainability not as checkboxes, but as essential pillars of how we grow – with purpose, responsibility, and relevance.
After over two decades in the hospitality industry, what keeps you inspired as an entrepreneur and leader?
Raluca Țeposu: What keeps me inspired, even after more than 20 years in this industry, is the constant opportunity to create – to build things that matter, to respond to people’s evolving needs, and to see real impact in everyday moments. HoReCa is one of the few industries where feedback is instant and deeply human. You see it in how someone enjoys a meal, how a space brings people together, or how a concept you imagined becomes part of someone’s daily routine.
I’m also driven by the challenge. The business landscape is constantly shifting – whether it’s consumer behaviour, technology, or the economic context – and that challenges you to stay sharp, adaptive, and brave in your decisions. Leading Flavours Group means staying curious, asking the right questions, and never settling into a comfort zone.
And perhaps most of all, I’m inspired by the people around me. Our team, our partners, our clients – they all contribute ideas, energy, and perspectives that make this journey worth continuing. It’s not just about growth or market share – it’s about building something meaningful, with purpose and integrity. That’s what keeps me going.
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*This interview was edited by Romania Insider for Flavours Group.
