Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Gentile.
Natasha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Rewind to January of 2020, our DIY cheese board and wine tasting classes were thriving, we were booked out through July of that year and we were stocked with ingredients and excitement.
As March 2020 rolls around the buzz of Covid was becoming more persistent and soon enough, we’d have to put our classes on hold.
We thought it would only be temporary, but as we realized it wasn’t, we couldn’t just sit on all the ingredients we had in stock, so we decided what better way to bring a smile to those during an uncharted time and help keep some normalcy to celebrations and daily life… And that’s where we chose to use the ingredients we had and make cheese & charcuterie boxes delivered to doorsteps across the triangle (contact free of course and masked and gloved up!).
We thought we’d do this until our Ingredients ran out, and that would be it.
But, graciously and gratefully, the orders never stopped.
We never expected that and I think if it wasn’t for having this business during a pandemic things could have ended up much different.
Fast forward to today, and the face of Femme Fromage is down to one (that’s me, Natasha), and the business model and company is slightly changing.
There are a lot of really exciting things that will be taking place and many opportunities that wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for this business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always struggles with new business, small business, really any business! It was a huge learning curve since the intentions of Femme Fromage was not initially cheese and charcuterie boxes for sale. So navigating a new idea and standards wasn’t always smooth. We were delivering across the triangle since March of 2020, so there were many bumps along the way with learning the ropes and quickest routes of delivery! Somehow, we managed to master that quicker than I expected but it was always a stressor in my opinion. Our schedule had to change a few times to be sure to get our delivery routes and services just right!
As you know, we’re big fans of Femme Fromage & Co. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
First off, our name change! We are now Femme Fromage & Co.
So many opportunities have opened up that it only felt right to keep our homage to Femme Fromage but still be able to move forward with a name that best represents our intentions as a business.
As so many know, we were one of the first to offer cheese and charcuterie boxes across the triangle. We have a variety of boxes offered, as well as our party boards for gatherings. Our candy boards and party favors have always been very popular with holidays and birthdays. And our dessert boards are one of a kind!
We will be bringing our classes back, and those will be announced soon too!
I would like to think that we are known for our quality, curation and artistic capabilities. Food, pairings, and technique comes very naturally as I’ve been in the food industry for over 20 years. Our quality is outstanding, and I firmly believe curating the right ingredients makes all the difference.
One thing I’m so proud we were able to do (and be one of the firsts cheese businesses to do it in our area) was network with our local small businesses and be able to partner in a way that we both got exposure and business. Our jams were made locally and specifically for our boxes and boards, our dessert board ingredients were curated from local bakers, our wine pairings were direct from our local wine shop…
Being able to connect and create a business relationship with local small businesses was not only beneficial but incredibly important to me.
I am excited to announce that Femme Fromage & Co will now offer Food Styling for hire. This was something I have always wanted to do, and this business has most definitely opened up that door for me. I am excited to partner with local and National businesses!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck is funny sometimes. I don’t think I’ve always had the best luck, it’s one of those things where if something can go wrong… it will! But I think in terms of business, luck didn’t have much of a role in Femme Fromage. Sometimes I wish it had.
It’s been hard work and determination.
Luck for Femme Fromage would be ordering your best-selling cheese just before the wholesaler ends the sale!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @Femmefromagenc
- Facebook: @femmefromagenc
Image Credits
All images taken by: Natasha Gentile Femme Fromage & Co
