Meet Narella Andia | Baker & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Narella Andia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Narella, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I believe that the key factors that helped me in building a successful business and brand were to keep it simple and unique. We use traditional recipes that we’ve created since we moved to the United States from Peru 12 years ago. We strive to preserve the flavors and authenticity of the Peruvian culture in our alfajores – which are our signature treat. Like in all businesses, it is fundamental to have great customer service and we also know that every detail counts. The most important principle that I stuck with while building Sweetmanias Alfajores was to be passionate and be excited about what I do and make this known in all of our orders, from the making to the tasting!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My name is Narella Andia and I am the proud owner of Sweetmanias Alfajores. I am a Peruvian immigrant – along with my family, we moved to the United States 12 years ago. I was born and raised in Peru, I am a wife and mom to 2 beautiful daughters…and also a dog mom to 2 wonderful troublemakers. Since I was a child, baking was very prominent in my household and I found my love for it there. I started taking private baking classes when I was older…and here we are now! I am proud of the fact that Sweetmanias Alfajores was created in the middle of pandemic from scratch. When everything in the world was wild and crazy, I found baking soothing and built a business from it! I am excited that I’ve been getting to see Sweetmanias Alfajores grow over the past years, this is exciting because we are a small, family-owned business and it brings us joy to see how many people enjoy our treats and get to experience a small part of our Peruvian culture. The reason why our business began to flourish even in the mist of a pandemic was because of the hard work and faith everyone had even while everything seemed uncertain! It was definitely not easy building a business in the middle of 2020 but we overcame the challenges that were thrown at us with discipline and perseverance while also surrounding ourselves with people to uplift us and by bringing creativity to every aspect of the business. Through this time from planning to actually starting a business, I have learned to say no – in the sense that I have learned my limits and know when I am pushing myself too hard and when I need a break, and I have learned the importance of knowing the value of your work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love going to the beach so I would take them there to relax. Maybe bring a charcuterie board from The Posh Plate and some cider! I would definitely take them to eat at CVI.CHE 105 for some homely Peruvian food or also to get some Chinese food which is one of my all time favorites. Lastly, we would end the day by going to Koboskos Kreamery which is a small local business in Wellington with some yummy ice cream!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The people that have been the most influential in helping me achieve my goal of growing a healthy business are my family, and most importantly, God. God is the only one who could have made all of this possible, He is the one who has guided my family and I through the good and the bad. And He is the one who will continue to be the foundation and the one who guides us in all we do.

Instagram: @sweetmaniasfromperu

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweetmaniasfromperu