Investment & Fund Management

In the case of Cretan Diet Plus, founded by Konstantinos Kalpadakis in Brussels, the client faced significant challenges in securing financing to support the import and sale of high-quality Greek food products. After previously experiencing setbacks in his telecommunications venture due to economic crises, Konstantinos sought to establish a new business that catered to the demand for authentic Greek products among the Greek community in Brussels. However, traditional banks rejected his loan application, which posed a barrier to maintaining inventory and expanding his business.

To address this issue, Konstantinos turned to MicroStart, a microcredit company and an EIF financial intermediary under the European Progress Microfinance Facility (EPMF). With a loan of EUR 25,000 from MicroStart, he was able to not only sustain his operations but also expand the delivery of Cretan Diet Plus products beyond Belgium to neighboring countries like Luxembourg and the Netherlands. This financial support proved crucial, as it allowed him to build a customer base that now exceeds 350 online clients.

The tailored solution provided by MicroStart enabled Konstantinos to continue his entrepreneurial journey and bring the Mediterranean diet closer to a diverse international community. He is currently developing a business plan to open physical shops in the BeNeLux countries, indicating a significant growth trajectory for Cretan Diet Plus. The support from MicroStart has been instrumental in transforming his vision into a viable business, showcasing the impact of targeted microfinance in fostering entrepreneurship within niche markets.