By CASEY NEILL
THREE people in a Dandenong South factory are churning out a tonne of Russian dumplings every month.
From Granny’s started shortly after Nina Kuzovova and her daughter Tatiana moved from north-east Russia two years ago.
In March it was among five businesses to receive City of Greater Dandenong Business Grants Program support – $8000 plus about $2000 in marketing and advice from the Small Business Mentoring Service.
The program is designed to encourage business growth, attract investment and generate jobs.
“The money was great because it did help us to purchase the dough mixer and some machinery,” Tatiana said.
“But it’s more than the money – it’s the help that comes from someone else believing in what you’re doing.
“That’s given me an energy to keep going.
“It’s hard in the beginning but the thing is that not only you believe that it’s going to work.”
Tatiana said the business mentoring from Rob Jagger was a great help, too.
“I’ve got a degree in economics but because I studied long ago, Rob was a help to refresh and give some new advice,” she said.
Word about Nina’s pelmeni and vareniki spread from family and friends to a Russian restaurant.
“They asked if mum could work for them to make dumplings,” Tatiana said.
“Mum didn’t really want to work for somebody, she was 65 years old.
“So they asked if she could just make the dumplings.”
They set up in a Glen Eira City Council kitchen incubator designed to give new businesses a cheap place to start out.
Tatiana said they expected From Granny to stay there for a few years but big orders started rolling in and they had to find a new space.
“We didn’t plan to do it so quick,” she said.
They moved to a Dandenong South factory last December.
“We were only selling in the local community shops, small deli shops, but I’m planning to introduce it more to the Australian market, to Australian shops as well,” Tatiana said.
“Hopefully in the next couple of months we’ll start doing a bit of marketing.”
The Journal supports the grants program and has profiled each of the successful businesses from this round.
Visit dandenong.starcommunity.com.au to read about 363 Enterprises, Quantum Recycling Solutions, Ruson Fire Division and Dandy Naan and Kebab.
