Interview with Beatriz Fernandez, interviewed by Andrea Lluch, Bogotá, Colombia

Description

In this interview, Beatriz Fernández, founder and owner of Crepes & Waffles--a high-end restaurant chain in Colombia--narrates the trajectory of her career, explaining how, with little experience, she built a business renowned for both the quality of its products and its attention to social and environmental responsibility. The early years of conceptualizing, running, and growing the business were difficult. Fernández recalls how she and her partner Lalo tinkered with product recipes and experimented with different manners of presentation. From the beginning, Fernández also thought deeply about the kind of corporate culture she wanted to create at her restaurant, and rolled out many initiatives during the first few years. For example, when Fernández discovered that many of her employees could not read or write, she not only strove to help them improve their skills, but also developed a system of communication through symbols that allowed them to work in the meantime. Similarly, Crepes & Waffles implemented a major healthcare initiative for its workers, most of whom previously did not have access to quality clinics and physicians. These and other projects illustrate Fernández's deep commitment to a somewhat unusual business model. As she explains in the interview: "We adopted a totally different business approach, looking at our people's shortcomings and finding ways to make them smile--actual smiles, not just on their faces but from their hearts." This business philosophy has led Crepes & Waffles to enormous success in Colombia--a country, Fernández points out, which previously had no conception of "brunch." Fernández goes on to discuss how the menu at Crepes & Waffles evolved over time--all while still keeping the characteristic home-style flavor and quality. To do this, "innovation has been constant," she says. Fernández views this continual innovation as a core tenet of the company, as tastes and consumer preferences are always changing. However, in the context of global trends in food and flavor, Fernández is always grounded in in the local flavors of Colombia. Indeed, in recent years, she launched an initiative--led by her son--to source ingredients as locally as possible, and to keep the menu at Crepes & Waffles more attuned to seasonal change. This effort is part of the company's broader objective to promote sustainability within Colombia. In the interview, Fernández also explains how she has worked to uphold these tenets as the restaurant chain has grown both domestically and internationally. Fernández concludes the interview by discussing both her views on corporate social responsibility, and some of the ways that Crepes & Waffles has given back to its local community--both in the context of Colombia's ongoing peace process, and in response to natural disasters like floods and earthquakes.

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