Starting a business is stressful. Moving is stressful. Taking your family along for the ride adds another level of stress that most of us are unfamiliar with. Consider doing all of these things while moving halfway across the world. Once you get there, you have to hit the ground running. Welcome to the past 6 months for Adrian and Adriana Gheorghiu, owners of Farm Fresh Carolinas in Fort Mill.
Adrian’s background is in business, specifically tobacco. This allowed him to travel the globe and bring his family along for the ride. His two children, Toma (12) and Paul (10) were born in Canada and Switzerland respectively. They attended international schools, which provided them with a higher level of comfort interacting with English speaking kids their own age.
Weary of all the moving and travel, the family decided to set down roots in their home country of Romania. With a shared passion for healthy eating and fitness, they opened a yoga studio in Romania thinking this was the answer they had been looking for. They quickly learned a change in scenery was in order and began to research America as a potential destination.
As mentioned, the couple had lived in Canada but didn’t have a high level of knowledge about America and where to live. Since business had taken Adrian to Raleigh/Durham in the past, this served as a natural starting point. Although the family liked the area, it was when they made a trip to Charlotte that they began to feel at home.
According to Adrian, “Charlotte is a more European style city, with public transport and churches. There’s lots to do.” After 3 days and a trip to Carowinds, the boys and the couple were sold on making the move.
The move itself took place in September 2023 by way of an entrepreneurship visa. Rather than bore you with lawyer speak, this visa allows the Gheorghiu’s to live in America for a period of time as long as they own a business. The business they settled on was Farm Fresh Carolinas.
Through a shared contact by way of their lawyer, they were put in touch with the owner of Farm Fresh Carolinas. What had been a conversation to learn more about the business landscape in the area turned into an opportunity to purchase the business outright. Purchase discussions began in November 2022 and they were able to hammer out a deal by March 2023. They now own 90% of the business.
“We wanted to continue on this path of helping people have a healthy lifestyle and helping ourselves staying healthy. We bring the farmers market to your door, everyday, 365 days a year.” said Adriana.
Farm Fresh Carolinas offers organic produce without the hassle and a focus on quality. Their thorough process to sort, verify and check each box ensures only the highest quality fruits and vegetables are packed and delivered. Working directly with their suppliers, only the items that are best in quality are provided in your order.
With an ability to customize a box based on your preferences, you’re in control of what you’ll be receiving for that week. This is done via an email that’s sent to customers on Sunday outlining what’s fresh and available for the upcoming week. Customers have the opportunity to order what they want based on what’s being offered. You can even limit your order to 1-2 items in particular, if that’s your preference.
The customization extends to the particular box you order and how often you want it delivered. You can pause, cancel, freeze or change the size of the box being ordered at any time. Pickup orders at their Fort Mill pantry start at $25 while weekly delivery orders start at $30.
Long term, the couple would like to expand to different markets throughout the Carolinas. Short term, they’re looking to grow the business in the Charlotte area, specifically within Fort Mill and Tega Cay. In both cases, Adrian sees potential in gaining efficiencies through process and potential software upgrades.
On my way out, Adrian and Adriana were kind enough to provide me with samples of the fruits and vegetables they offer. I can tell you first hand, freshness and quality make a difference and it’s one you can taste.
Old MacDonald had a farm. Based on the items I was able to taste, I assume he sold it to Farm Fresh Carolinas.
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