Sevak Harutyunyan, a participant in the Menq & Moonq program’s “Support to Artsakh Businesses” initiative, has turned his passion for baking into a new beginning in Dilijan after being displaced from Stepanakert, Artsakh. Together with his family, he founded “Dedo, Babo” bread production and embraced the challenges of starting over.
At first, Sevak noticed an interesting difference in tastes: the Dilijan community loved matnaqash bread, while traditional tonir bread remained popular back in Artsakh. His team quickly adapted to the demand, focusing on perfecting their matnaqash to delight local customers.
Though the business started small with just three employees, it has grown significantly. Daily bread production has increased from 200–250 loaves to an impressive 450–500 loaves. Sevak is now planning to expand by introducing sweet treats to the menu, aiming to captivate even more customers. He has also built connections with nearby communities like Ijevan and Haghpat to grow his reach.
While Sevak excels at baking, navigating the sales and marketing world has been a learning curve. With support from the Menq & Moonq business training program, he is gaining new skills in areas like social media promotion, packaging design, and sales strategies.
Despite the challenges, Sevak remains optimistic. “All challenges can be overcome with determination,” he says confidently. He feels at home in Dilijan, finding comfort in the kindness of its people and its similarity to his homeland, Artsakh.
The Menq & Moonq program is financed by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) in partnership with Sign of Hope (SoH). The project is implemented by the Development Principles NGO.
