Ciprian Dinca, Bioshop Romania: “We have customers who prefer zacusca prepared in the area where they were born because they recognize the taste of that specific preparation”

In the midst of Romania’s culinary delights, one particular gem shines with its exceptional flavor and rich tradition, particularly during the autumn season – zacusca. To delve deeper into this culinary treasure, Business Review had several discussions between seasoned artisans who have been crafting zacusca for years and several producers and retailers. Among those sharing their expertise is Ciprian Dinca, co-founder of Bioshop Romania, the online platform who delivers all over the world.

How many types of zacusca do you have in your portfolio? What is the best-selling product?

At this point, 9 types of zacusca – eggplant, vegetables, chanterelles, mushrooms, honey mushrooms, trumpet of the dead, beans, zucchinis, and peppers. And then there are regional variations, depending on recipes and preparation methods, which reach up to 40 different varieties. We are the store with the largest selection of local zacusca in Romania. And for this type of local product, consumers are conservative, with classic eggplant and vegetable zacusca being at the top of their current preferences because probably in this type of zacusca, they find the taste they were accustomed to in their childhood.

Do you believe there is an affinity for a particular brand of zacusca, or is it more about a specific type of zacusca?

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In the case of local products, we are not talking about brands in the sense of marketing textbooks, but about stories. Producers with interesting stories behind their labels (family traditions, local history, preparation methods, etc.) gain preference. We have customers who prefer zacusca prepared in the area where they were born because they recognize the taste of that specific preparation. It should be noted that recipes differ not only from one historical region to another but also from one locality to another in the same county, sometimes even from one street to another in the same locality. In other words, there are differences both at the local and microlocal level. And that’s what gives this product its flavor. The affinity for the local brand is also determined by the level of tourism promotion and the general local history associated with the gastronomic history of the region.

What is the biggest challenge when working with small artisanal producers?

We don’t have too many challenges after eight years of operation. The major challenge was in 2015 when we launched the platform and had to convince producers to sell local products online, including zacusca, not only in Bucharest and Romania, but all over the world. At that time, I remember they would simply hang up the phone on us, which drove us crazy. We tried to convince them that we could sell and promote local products not only nationally but make them known worldwide. It was a fantastic challenge and an enormous persuasion effort. We succeeded, so at the moment, we sell not only locally and nationally but also internationally, from Australia to the USA (since 2018, we are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to export to the American market). Furthermore, we are the only store with exclusively Romanian local products with the widest international delivery coverage.

When it comes to challenges, the relationship with producers is not an issue, but the challenge lies in the relationship with customers, who often don’t understand that these zacusca are produced in small batches, and once the stock is depleted, they are made in the next agricultural cycle.

In the news has been reported a very good year for vegetable production. How is this reflected in the stocks of artisanal producers?

As in every year, the zacusca stocks are plentiful. Although it remains the most consumed appetizer, the challenge is the work of convincing the market that these types of local zacusca should be part of the daily shopping basket and not just for major holidays and a few saints’ days on the calendar. But it’s encouraging that in these 8 years, the type of consumer for local zacusca and artisanal products, in general, has become more educated, more knowledgeable, and open to dialogue and gathering accurate information about everything related to the product. In conclusion, there are sufficient stocks, so order and consume, we won’t run out of zacusca.

Can you provide some figures regarding orders for zacusca – whether they are more commonly part of a common shopping cart or if they are exclusively ordered products?

Zacusca is present in the general annual shopping basket and also individually during dedicated periods: major holidays (Easter, Christmas) and fasting periods, when I believe it’s one of the most consumed products during fasting periods.