A meeting with Alexandre Espasa (MSc EDHEC 2017), founder of the Italian canteen AMALA

AMALA is a concept for an Italian canteen based on two iconic products: fresh pasta and Pinsa Romana. For your lunch break, an after-work get together with colleagues or an evening with friends, sit down or take away, at modest prices but without compromising on quality. 

Our Leitmotiv: "AMALA, Passione Italiana" – "Passionate about Italian gastronomy". 

HOW DID THE AMALA BRAND COME ABOUT?

I have strong Italian roots, having spent more than 10 years of my childhood in Milan. I grew up in a family where good food, fruit & veg markets and fresh produce were highly valued, where every event involved sharing a good meal. With a passion for Italian gastronomy and supermarket retailing, I decided to combine the two and create the first high-quality Italian dining concept dedicated to supermarkets.

HOW HAS THE EDHEC PROGRAMME AT STATION F HELPED YOU LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS? 

After EDHEC and a Master’s in Entrepreneurship, I had the opportunity to join Station F when it first opened, as my study proposal was validated by the council of lecturers at EDHEC. What a stimulating environment and a hotbed for new and exciting ideas!

I spent 6 months there developing my project, allowing others to discover Italian gastronomy in a 15 m² corner adapted to supermarket retailing and based on two products in particular: fresh pasta and Pinsa (a kind of pizza made using 3 types of flour: wheat, rice and soya), which was not yet available on the French market.

During that 6-month period, I studied the concept step-by-step, sourced the products in Italy and refined my business model to present it to banks and potential investors, for there could be no business without financing!

Then I had to find a name for my concept, and AMALA was born! Amala means “love it” in Italian: love Italian gastronomy, but it’s also a nod to one of my other passions, football! And Inter Milan in particular, my home club, for which the icon is AMALA!

The last thing was to find a partner, a supermarket that would allow me set up my first retail outlet, and it was a young MY AUCHAN franchisee who gave me that opportunity. 

AMALA opened on 5 April 2018 at 85 bis Rue Réaumur (Paris 2nd arrondissement). 

WHAT’S YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THIS ENTREPRENEURIAL ADVENTURE?

I never imagined all the different things I would have to deal with when establishing a new concept and business from A to Z. All the administrative procedures, the necessary authorisations, technical aspects and equipment. Another huge challenge was recruitment and training, especially when you’re a novice in the sector, as was the case for me and catering.

But when the restaurant finally opened, it was a source of huge satisfaction and pride! It’s a real delight to see your customers so enthusiastic. They love the products, and the icing on the cake is that they think the concept is a franchise! Even though it has just been launched!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS?

If I had to do it all over again, I would take 6 months to train under a competitor so I could learn the basics of the business and avoid some of my early errors.

Another piece of advice is that developing a business project is easier if there are two of you. At the age of 25, when you have to make choices and decisions alone it’s not always easy to handle. The support I received from my parents, backers and unflinching shareholders was a huge help!

YOU GRADUATED WITH AN MSC IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM EDHEC. HOW HAS YOUR EDUCATION HELPED YOU?

The MSc in Entrepreneurship helped me join Station F where everything began to take shape, but above all it encouraged my desire to be an entrepreneur and gave me the skills I needed to pursue this adventure to the end and make my dreams come true.

After the 1st Corner, another version of AMALA was launched on 11 November 2019: AMALA La CANTINA (11 Rue du 4 Septembre in Paris). This is more than just a corner business, but a solo-run restaurant, where the offer extends from lunch to dinner, with afternoon snacks and aperitif in between, in a warm atmosphere that is 100% Italian.

And I hope to see new AMALA chapters written going forward!

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE EDHEC COMMUNITY?

I invite the community of EDHEC graduates to come and discover AMALA. Join me for a coffee, gourmet lunch or a SPRITZ and a pinsa! See you soon!

EDHEC now and forever! FORZA AMALA!

Contact :

a.espasa@amala-passioneitaliana.fr

www.amala-passioneitaliana.fr

https://www.instagram.com/amala_passioneitaliana/