Facebook helps Goan couple turn hobby into enterprise

While millions of people are hooked to social networking website for varied purpose, there is a success story brewing in the coastal village of Goa about a couple who have managed to turn their hobby into small scale enterprise, thanks to Facebook.

Andrew Felix Vieira, a banking professional and his wife, Rosy, with a professional training in baking, has carved out a full time profession for them which stems from their hobby.

"During Christmas our business used to double but since the time we used Facebook to advertise our venture, the business has tripled," Andrew told PTI.

"All my friends, with whom I had lost contact, got to know that I have started this venture. They started contacting me as everyone is in search of right chocolates for the festive season," he said, adding that it was two years back that he logged into Facebook for the first time.

Hailing from a village of Siolim, the couple has started their business 'Vieira Chocolates', which has a string of home-made chocolates in different forms and tastes.

The couple began chocolate making as their hobby some four years back when they began wrapping chocolates and gifting it to their friends.

Their entrepreneurship got impetus after Andrew's Mumbai-based aunt Bella Vieira helped them in getting the raw material and other aspects right.

"Word of mouth also helped but basically it was social networking websites which gave the real push to my business," he said.

Andrew, a seafarer, was on cruise liner for 11 years before giving up his job and joining wife in the business. He is now a part time banker working with ICICI Prudential.

"When Christmas is around, I take time off from work and fully devote myself to chocolate making job," he said.

"Chocolate making is not an easy job," explains Andrew adding that first chocolate blocks are melted with almonds, rice crispy, butterscotch, cashew nuts, blue curaco, rum, raisins, orange marmalade and dry crispy.