About us

A Story About Us, But For You...

This section should say "about us," but it's really about you. And we're not just saying that because it sounds good, it's really about you.

Why? Because you are the one who should know who you buy your coffee from. You are the one we created Merci Caffe for.

Let's start the story...

Merci Caffe was founded by five siblings. Yes, five. What a story and what a heroic mother!

For me, Merci Caffe started one afternoon when the phone rang. It was my little brother, Nini.

“What are you doing, Crin?” he asked me.
"Okay, Nini. What are you doing?"

I felt him shy. The respect between the older and younger brother is sacred. I waited.

"I bought a cafe," he told me, almost ashamed.

It's not every day that someone in your family calls to tell you they've bought a coffee shop, let alone your brother. I was taken by surprise. Silence for a few seconds, then I asked:

"What cafe? Where?"

— It's small, but chic. Maria works there.

Maria is the wife of our brother, Marian. Marian worked for 10 years in the UK, as the right-hand man to the general manager of a 5-star hotel. When he left, he was so respected that the entire staff applauded him as he left—the first time they had done so.

Seeing the opportunity, Nini and Marian partnered and bought the café. Marian brought experience in the field, and Nini brought expertise in online marketing. After a while, our sister, Elena, joined them. In the early years, customers called her “The Merci Girl” because she was the image of the café.

But the beginnings weren't easy. There was a lot to learn, a lot to fine-tune. And we did it, with patience and dedication. In the first months, we only had 2-3 clients a day. I remember calling Elena and asking her:

— How is the cafe going?

— Okay, I had 5 customers today.

— How much money did you make?

— 150 lei.

When you're starting from scratch, anything above zero is good...

Today, people wait for tables to become available to enjoy their coffee at Merci. We won each customer, one by one. I remember how Elena would stay overtime, closing at midnight, after starting her day at 8 in the morning. She knew how important each customer was.

Now, you too can enjoy these tastes and experiences at home, through our website.

Our roles have become clearer over the years:

-- Marian is the Master Barista and Head of Product, responsible for "taste"—his mission being to create the best coffee in the country.

-- Nini is CFO - Chief Financial Officer.

-- Elena is the Head of Customer Experience and Content Creator, responsible for customer satisfaction. Many customers return thanks to her and, of course, the great taste of our coffee.

I've always been involved, but now I have an official role as CMO - Chief Marketing Officer.

This is us and this is our authentic story, in short. Merci Caffe is just the beginning of a story that is written every day.

I mentioned that Merci was founded by five brothers. Although only four of us are active now, our other brother is studying Business Management in the UK and we can't wait for him to join us.

Thank you! Crin, One of the Brothers!



Join the Brotherhood and become "One of the Brothers". Access the Contact page, send us your details, including your CV, and let's move the world together.