Le Marché des saveurs Gaspésiennes, a taste for more…
Whenever you come across the term 'gourmet food shop' associated with a business, you often expect to find imported, little-known, rare or high-priced products, or even 'questionable' terroir products. At the Marché des saveurs gaspésiennes, in the heart of the restaurant, bar, boutique, hotel and other business district on rue de la Reine in Gaspé, they've spent 20 years trying to show that there is every reason to take an interest in this range of fine products, especially for making meals and recipes stand out from the everyday.
Since 2022, the business has changed hands. Claudia Romero and Ricardo Granja arrived in Québec and Gaspé from South America 11 years ago, when they were 26. They now run this gourmet food shop, one of the most popular of its kind. Both come from families of entrepreneurs. Since their arrival in Gaspé, Claudia has completed business succession training, worked in customer service and tourism, and has even taught French to foreign workers based in Gaspé.
Claudia says she’s living a dream come true. After many years alongside the owner of the legendary Marché des Saveurs Gaspésiennes, she bought the business to put down roots here. She saw him as a mentor. She had long had her eye on the shop, which she had already been visiting for a long time. When he told her he intended to sell, she jumped at the chance, and they quickly agreed on the terms of the transfer.
'We wanted to build a business. We wanted a project in aquaculture, our specialty, but we found that difficult. It came to more than four million dollars,' Claudia explains. 'We contacted our creditor and took over the business I’d loved ever since we’d been living around here,' she adds, a contented woman who lives on the peninsula with her children, Marycielo and Ricardo.
Ricardo chose to join his partner in this new venture. He looks after the kitchen and purchasing, among other things, while Claudia is in charge of administration and human resources. They employ 14 people, several of whom have been there for a few years.
Although the takeover happened in the middle of the pandemic, Claudia is happy with their choice. "We learned a lot, and I love learning! It was tough, because we had to manage product and labour shortages, and the frequent changes in prices and health regulations were a bit overwhelming. But don’t panic; you have to take things one at a time. I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished. We even managed to bring our values and our character to this already well-established business."
"The labour shortage is a major challenge, and we’ve decided to address it by bringing in staff from abroad. We’ll support these people and make sure they feel at home.
The Marché des Saveurs Gaspésienes is one of the few places in Gaspé where you can find bakery bread and pastries. You’ll also find a wide selection of fine cheeses and beers from Gaspé microbreweries. Local products are available: smoked salmon, soaps, meat, coffee, and so on. There are also imported European products. Several dishes are cooked on site for takeout.
As if running this business wasn’t enough, Claudia secured a canteen concession (Délices Forillon) at the Centre récréatif – secteur sud du Parc national de Forillon. Park managers were looking for a concessionaire for a two-year contract. She submitted an application and was awarded the contract. Park visitors can enjoy some of the dishes cooked in Gaspé, cheeses, charcuterie, pastries, and much more. An employee has been assigned to run the canteen.
Asked whether she has advice for people who want to start or take over a business, she says never to give up. "It's wonderful to be able to achieve it. You need to encourage one another as a family," she murmurs.
Le Marché des saveurs gaspésiennes
marche-de-saveurs-gaspesiennes.business.site
119, rue de la Reine
Gaspé, QC G4X 1T5
418 368-7705