We know what you're thinking. Isn't it another Rohlík.cz? Only time will tell. In any case, the ePultik.cz project, which was founded by two friends, Šimon Brož and Robert Gulyas, clearly dominated the public startup grilling - Startup Go Grill 2022. Clearly because they took 1st place, but also won the audience award. The goal of the project is quite simple – to support local farmers through the online sale of their products. The path to the goal is no longer so simple. We interviewed the founders of the project who went through the business incubator.

Simon and Robert, how did you come up with the idea of supporting regional farmers?

The ideas for the creation of ePultik were born during the entire course of preparations, and it can be said that they are still being born, because we are constantly inventing new things that could push ePultik a step further. Our first idea was to have an e-shop with the foods you know from regular supermarkets combined with a network of brick-and-mortar outlets. The customer would thus shop from the comfort of his home and would only pick up his bag at one of the locations on his way home from work. However, that was not enough for us, and as administrative patriots and heartthrobs of the Ústí Region, we wanted to focus more on it. We have a heart here and we like to help, which is why we finally decided to include local farmers and producers in our service. And it was all over.

What stage is your business at now? I saw that you are already tweaking the product website. When will the customer be able to order the products?

The website is essentially the most important thing for our purpose, because it decides whether a customer will buy from us or not. We want him to feel good about it. But webbooks are far from all that lies ahead. It is a big project and its preparations take a lot of time, and we have to fine-tune every detail, because we want to offer the people of the Ústí Region a perfect service. We are now primarily dealing with warehouse space and negotiating cooperation with future suppliers. We see the launch roughly at the beginning of the 2nd half of this year.

How does the search for new farmers happen? Do you follow your own axis or do you get tips from others?

The entire search and contacting of new farmers is basically under our direction and we follow our own axis. But lately we've also been getting tips from the farmers themselves and our loved ones.

"We want to be partners for farmers. We want to grow with them, and when they are satisfied, so will we, and ultimately the end customer."

Aren't you afraid that a player like Rohlík.cz or Košík.cz will come and take over this whole concept?

Even with this possibility, one has to calculate. Rohlík and Košík have somewhat more ambitious goals and plans at the moment, and they will be helped by the big cities they are targeting. The quantity that local producers would have to supply from competitors would have to be very high and smaller farmers would not be able to handle that. Both well-known companies have such large investment costs that they will not be satisfied with a reduced margin, and will try to "skin" farmers. We want to be partners for farmers. We want to grow with them, and when they are happy, so will we, and ultimately the end customer.

You have won the Startup Go Grill 2022 - a public grilling of Ust startups. What did this win give you?

We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to present our vision and even more delighted to have received so much support. That's probably the most valuable thing we could get. Confirmation that we are going in the right direction and can continue in it.

What is it like to stand on stage in front of a jury and 40 other people and reveal your project to everyone and still fit into the time limit of 5 minutes?

It was a stress and a ride at the same time. Five minutes is a very short time to present the entire project, so we decided not to burden our speech with details and rather tried to sell the whole idea to the jury based on our experience and the current situation on the food market. And as you can see, we succeeded.

And speaking of programs for budding entrepreneurs – what would you say to people who are still hesitating to start their own business project?

If you have an idea and don't know how to proceed, be sure to contact the ICUK business incubator. You will receive support and a helping hand. It is important to go into it with reason and enthusiasm. Everything else will come by itself.

Will you share with us your upcoming plans?

Launch the test version of the website, complete the portfolio of farmers, equip the warehouse and fill it, and test our logistics. When everything clicks, we will be ready for sharp operation.

Šimon and Robert, we wish you a lot of strength for the future and good luck!