"When we decided to organize a private fair, which is an event where the culinary novelties are demonstrated, a place which brings together foreign suppliers, culinary professionists, managers and customers, it seemed almost as an impossible mission," has said Nikollaq Neranxi, President of Neranxi Company and Culinary Institute Neranxi. " But when we see the results, we are convinced that everything has been worth it," Mr. Neranxi told Albanian Daily News in an exclusive interview on the eve of the opening of the Neranxi Fair 2018 under the motto "1001 ideas for a taste" in Tirana on Friday (27-29 April 2018).
Explaining why the motto "1001 ideas for a taste!" has been picked up as the motto of this year's fair, Mr. Neranxi said they had decided to pay more attention to taste and beauty on the table. "This has been demanded by my specialists, foreigners and Albanians. We want to teach Albanians how to be more creative in the cuisine."
He spoke with passion on the activity of the Neranxi Culinary Institute, which was launched ten years ago. "During the first years few people came, but with the passing of time people started to become conscious thanks also to the way how we offered this opportunity to have a beautiful and profitable profession. Today we increase the number of laboratories and classes frequently because we cannot face the flux of students. Rather, today it is 'cool' to a chef!!" said Mr. Neranxi in the following interview:
- Since 11 years, the Neranxi Company organizes the Culinary Fair which has already become a tradition. Which have been some of the difficulties and challenges of this enterprise being the only one established from a private company in Albania?
- When we decided to organize a private fair, which is an event where the culinary novelties are demonstrated, a place which brings together foreign suppliers, culinary professionists, managers and customers, seemed almost as an impossible mission. Specialized companies exist in the world dealing with the organization of such ambitious events. We were determined to undertake such a step because we wanted to move faster towards the growth and elevation of the sector in which we operate. This interview would not have been enough to reveal how difficult it was at the very beginning. In the first place, people could not realize what we were making. In their eyes, a company as ours should be a seller of products, and that was all. But we were asking for much more. The international fairs that we visited but also the supplying companies made us realize and convince that we should undertake such a step, that we should not be simply a seller of products. We are professionists offering also services, train any of our clients or culinary specialists for them to increase the performance in their work. And the fair is a very efficient way to do this irrespective of the fact that it is an activity which costs much and requires a very huge engagement. But when we see the results we are convinced that everything has been worth it.

- Which are the novelties that you offer this year under the motto "1001 ideas for a taste"?
- Those who visit the Neranxi Fair every year understand immediately the change from year to year because it is something greater and more professional. Even to us - the organizers- it seems as we have done the maximum in any fair, but, as a matter of fact, this is a profession without limits; it is a journey which has got objectives but does not have a stopping station. During all these years in different seminars, but also during the fairs, we have worked hard that our clients, but also our consumers, become conscious of the use of qualitative products. They should continuously ask for information on any food products which they buy.
Unfortunately, much of the wastes of the world stores have come to Albania during many years in a row. The greed to win to the detriment of people's health has been a not rare phenomenon and now it has become a known matter and shown even by the media. We have tried to make them aware of this by teaching them how a qualitative product can be distinguished from another one. But with the passing of time I have seen that there is a growing reflection on this.
In the meantime in this fair we have decided to be less artistic and creative paying more attention to taste and beauty on the table. This has been demanded by my specialists, foreigners and Albanians. We want to teach Albanians how to be more creative in the cuisine. That is why we have picked up the motto "1001 ideas for a taste!" We will dedicate to the taste as the food that we consume should be healthful, tasty and aesthetically nice. In this aspect our clients will see surprises and wonders in the demonstration of tastes in this edition of the fair.
- Can you describe the range of services and products that you offer?
- There are 28 years that Neranxi Company works in the food sector. We are among the first private enterprises in the country. My family and I have loved this work very much even though other sectors as for example that of construction or fuels were more profitable. But I have always said that to deal with the food sector is more than work - it is a passion, it is love. I would not change it for any other kind of job.
The Neranxi company imports, processes and distributes raw materials for the food industry, and products for restaurants, sweet shops, ice cream shops, bars, bakeries etc. But we also offer retail selling. The Neranxi Company has absolutely everything that is necessary for the food sector. We have explored so much the international market so that, I believe, it can hardly exist any product, even very rare ones, that cannot be found at us. It happens that customers who work at embassies in Tirana come often to us. They are from various countries of the world and have very different culinary traditions from what we know. They are surprised when they find rare products at us and in this way they do not give up their cuisine even though they are in Albania.
Besides that we offer technical assistance for our clients whenever they need it and we also organize periodical seminars. For those who open an activity for the first time, we engage a big staff to help them until they are ready for the great opening. Then for a higher qualification, it is the Neranxi Culinary Institute where boys and girls learn there, have a secure job place as soon as they finish the school. The master chef diplomas are granted for the most talented students.
- As we are talking on the Neranxi Culinary Institute, which has been the impact of this school in the activity of the Neranxi Company?
- The school was launched ten years ago. As in the case of the fair, even the school seemed as an initiative not knowing which would be the response toward it. We were making a huge investment in laboratories and it was not sure if Albanian youth would like to become cooks or pastry cooks. During the first years few people came, but with the passing of time people started to become conscious thanks also to the way how we offered this opportunity to have a beautiful and profitable profession. Today we increase the number of laboratories and classes frequently because we cannot face the flux of students. Rather, today it is 'cool' to be a chef!! I see this in a lot of pictures posted by the students in the social networks. I see the pride in them while wearing the cook's uniform, and I feel good because it has not been easy to make them abandon the coffee shops and take them to a culinary school. In an activity like ours the school is very important to move forward.
- 'Always a step forward' is your motto. Which are your future targets and objectives? Do you foresee an expansion of your activity within Albania and abroad?
- The Neranxi Company is daily growing; it is a journey that cannot be made differently but only by improving it day by day. We are in the same step with the best relevant trends worldwide. As soon as they launch a novelty we bring it immediately to the Albanian consumers. We continue to wage a great fight for making conscious our clients over the quality and security of foods and make them be more aware of how to use better these products so that they can get the best.
As far as the Neranxi Culinary Institute is concerned I think that we can open very soon some branches in certain cities of Albania because the demand is great. In the meantime the Neranxi Company continues its expansion in the Balkans and we are proceeding very well in Kosovo. In fact in Kosovo it has been easier to convince the clients to pick up the quality while trainings have been followed massively. I am very happy that Neranxi is similarly known and liked there as in Albania although the activity has started some years later.
As a conclusion I can say that when you work hard and with dedication the results do not delay and we feel rewarded in our work.