With the support of EFSE funding, Levart’s Food, Pizza and Sandwich Shop expanded its operations, doubled its turnover and hired more help.
At Levart’s Food, Pizza and Sandwich Shop in Armenia, one can find more than 15 kinds of pizzas – not to mention an unimaginable array of sandwiches and hamburgers. Its shelves are overflowing with spinach, cabbage, potatoes, meats, cheeses and freshly-baked fruit pies. And their ready-to-eat breakfasts, lunches and dinners are available to dine-in, take out or have delivered to your front door.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the USD 20 000 loan that Levart owner and manager Narine Divanyan received from the European Fund for South East Europe (EFSE) via Araratbank. ‘Being in business on your own, sometimes you have to trust your instincts’, says Divanyan. ‘It’s the same with choosing your bank, and our partnership with Araratbank couldn’t have worked out better.’
With this financing, Levart was able to expand into a new, state-of-the-art building just down the street from its flagship store. The move was overdue as the business had quickly outgrown its original location and was in desperate need for warehouse space – along with a second storefront.
‘Since opening the second location our turnover has doubled and we hired four more employees – and we’re just getting started’, says Divanyan. ‘A great partnership is like good food – it’s the ingredients that count!’
