Above: Diego Venturi shows off a range of his cookies at the Cardinia Ranges Farmers’ Market.From the picturesque valley that is Pakenham Upper comes the gentle waft of homemade cookies.
This scene is the thinktank and engine behind local couple Carina and Diego Venturi’s successful business, The Home Baked Cookie Company.Carina and Diego Venturi, who come from a long line of chefs, pastry chefs and bakers, decided to start up the business after working in the corporate industry.
After arriving in Australia from Argentina 15 years ago, Diego worked in corporate information technology and Carina ran a marketing company consulting to large companies.
Carina said their experience had helped the cookie business grow quickly and allowed them to do a lot of the work themselves.
In the past few years, they have achieved considerable success.
Carina and Diego, along with their daughters Daniela, nine, and Kiara, four, bought the property in Pakenham Upper, affectionately known as ‘La Finca’ (a Spanish American ranch), five years ago to start their business.
They started baking cookies in their home kitchen until they received approval to fix up a shed on their property to set up a kitchen devoted to the business.
Their cookies are now distributed in cafes, gourmet retail stores, restaurants, Internet cafes, shopping centres and they even have a gift range at Myer.
Carina and Diego said a love of cookies had been ingrained in them since their youth when they were living in Argentina.
“When we had just got married and were living overseas, we were running a cafe which only operated on weekends and public holidays,” Carina said.
“Every other day we went sailing and our hamper was always packed with cookies and a thermos of hot coffee.
“We were young so we could get away with it then,” she laughed.
“The love of cookies has been ingrained in us for ever – something hot to drink and something sweet.”
Carina said when she and her husband had first married, Diego had worked as a physical education teacher.
“I thought I was going to be fit for life but then we went into the food industry, and cookies no less,” she said.
“Next time we’ll have to go into the fruit and vegetable industry instead,” she laughed.
Carina said the move from the corporate world to the world of cookies had kept her and Diego busy, but at least working from home meant they had more time for their daughters.
“They’re proud of what we do,” Carina said.
She said Daniela helped out a lot in the kitchen making the cookies, and the kids coped well their parents being so busy.
“We do huge hours, especially this time of year leading up to Christmas,” Diego said.
Carina said she and Diego had always been in business together.
“We work well together,” she said.
Carina said their opposite qualities and expertise complemented each other in business.
“I enjoy the creative side of branding and packaging while Diego enjoys the side of production and logistics. He devised all the recipes,” she said.
And who gets to do the taste testing?
“Every time I decide to start a new diet is when we are devising a new flavour,” Carina said.
“I love cookies. I can’t say no.
“We both do the taste tests.”
Carina said the couple then handed the new product out to family and friends to get their opinion.
“There are some that bomb and others that are embraced,” she said.
The couple also sells their cookies at local farmers’ markets.
Carina said as much as she would love to be involved in the market, that was Diego’s terrain.
“I love doing them,” Diego said.
“It’s a great, great environment.
“Everyone goes there looking for goodquality products.”
Carina said the markets allowed them to sell their cookies at wholesale prices rather than retail prices.
She said people would call to find out when their next market was.
“You get instant feedback at the market,” she said.
“You see people walk around and then come back for more.”
Carina said they were keen to supply produce around the local area as the region’s food stores had been very supportive.
She said Gloria Jeans in Pakenham ordered more than 200 cookies and pillow treats a week, and the store’s manager had been great with their produce and had always been happy to try them.
Myer has also recently named The Home Baked Cookie Company as its chosen cookie people.
Carina said the products were now available in stores all over Australia, including three in Western Australia.
“It’s great to see our little range in the stores,” she said.
