Recent testimonies of successful business networking - Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme
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Alice Navratilova (Czech Republic)
Age: 34
Company name: (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
Burak Baydar (Poland)
Age: 42
Company name: Pistachio Box / http://pistachiobox.pl/ (4 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
Period of exchange: 06/2025 until 11/2025
Duration of exchange: 6
Results and benefits
Alice from Czechia is preparing to launch MeditAsian Catering, a concept combining Mediterranean and Asian flavours for events and private dining. Eager to gain practical experience before starting her own business, she joined the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, attracted by the opportunity to learn about food production, marketing, logistics and finance while receiving tailored guidance on her business plan. She spent six months in Poland with her host Burak, founder of Pistachiobox, a growing brand known for quality food products and catering. Burak, in turn, saw the exchange as an opportunity to mentor, gain fresh culinary inspiration and explore future cooperation. Both viewed the experience as a valuable source of professional growth and international knowledge exchange.
During the six-month stay at Pistachiobox, Alice became part of daily operations supporting food preparation, product packaging, deliveries and customer care. Working closely with Burak, she gained insight into pricing, sourcing and workflow management while assisting with catering events and adapting menus with multicultural elements. Alongside practical work, she contributed to social media content and branding activities, helping promote products and services. Guided by Burak, she worked on her business plan for MeditAsian Catering, focusing on marketing strategy, budgeting and operational setup. Regular feedback sessions strengthened collaboration and encouraged the exchange of ideas, combining Burak’s industry experience with Alice’s creative culinary approach.
The exchange equipped Alice with practical skills in operations, stock management, logistics and event catering, while also strengthening her confidence to launch MeditAsian Catering. She developed a structured business plan, pricing model and marketing approach, and gained first-hand experience with customer communication and supplier relations. Working with Burak broadened her culinary perspective and inspired ideas for multicultural menus. For Pistachiobox, Alice’s creativity supported product promotion and brought new concepts to catering services, contributing to increased business activity. The collaboration created valuable international contacts and opened opportunities for future cross-border cooperation.
For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:
New entrepreneur's contact point:
Regional Development Agency of South Bohemia (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic)
Host entrepreneur's contact point:
FUNDACJA MOBILE OPEN SOCIETY THROUGH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY (MOST) (Warszawa, Poland)
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