Francesca Ferrero’s memories in the gastronomic world, owner of the Morogrill brand, go back to her childhood, when she was 8 years old helping her mother’s cevicheria in Guayaquil or visiting the caves with her family, which left her with a love for typical dishes. Alternating with the medical profession, she started her business journey in 2012 with the services of hospitality industry and in that way he had achievements and some other mistakes. His dream is to make Ecuador famous in the world.

What was the beginning of your business phase like?

I formally started on a business level in 2012, first I worked hospitality industry with my mother’s cevicheria, which I started to manage, and then I opened my own company called Qualifood hospitality industry industrial, hospital, business and sports; I worked for Club Sport Emelec, also for River Plate (Ecuador).

How was the Morogrill brand created?

At the same time, I worked as a hospital manager in a comprehensive medical center until 2016, and I set aside that year for the birth of a child, and I founded a family business with my ex-husband. Then I started to see that typical food was disappearing, there were not many proposals at the level of formal, large facilities, where gastronomy is promoted, and that’s where the idea of ​​opening Morogrillo was born, I started designing the menu in 2016 and opened the doors in 2017 in Samborondón with the star of the house , sartenase.

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What inspired you to open Morogrill?

I was inspired by childhood memories, on the streets of Salinas we had food served in hollows, rice with stew and meat, the green one, patacón, always with cheese sauce, our traditional flavors, I was inspired by my family; My whole family was in the gastronomic world, my connection with that sector is very intimate.

And your main dish, the pan, has its own history?

Yes, sartenazo was born because at that time in Ecuador – 2016 and 2017 – the TikTok trend started, influential persons and social media, and I said: why not take our local gastronomy to the next level and generate that kind of content voracious from the typical part to put a little feeling for who we are as Ecuador, and decide to make a mixture of typical rice with stew and meat, but reaching the hearts of people who remember their childhood when it was eaten with a spoon, from a pan or a pot of our grandmothers.

What makes this dish different?

If the protagonist is our client, because they can choose different mouras, proteins and sauces to put it together according to their taste, making a variety of more than 50 versions of one dish.

How has the brand grown in these almost six years?

In a way, Morogrill grew towards the heart, we had some battles, just like the gastronomic sector, these are our risks and those risky decisions when not everyone took them, as was the case during the pandemic.

What was the risky decision in the pandemic?

I decided out of the blue to make a leap to double the trade in 2020, trusting and believing that our customers who have been loyal on the human side will respond and it has indeed happened, we have seen growth in 2020 despite being in a pandemic, also supported by various measures, then there was the question of the increase in violence in 2021.

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Have you also opened in Guayaquil?

Due to emotional problems I opened in Guayaquil in the house where I grew up, Morogrillo’s house in Urdesa is the house that belonged to my parents, I grew up there until I was 5 years old, my father sold it in 2015. I didn’t study the market, I didn’t think about to that, I saw my house there and said: Guayaquil deserves Morogrill and I will make this happen.

And it worked?

We had a very difficult start, it was the prison crisis at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 when we opened and then we had to overcome the challenge of urban regeneration, the street was closed for six months and somehow we managed to position ourselves and keep the brand moving and without closing , because we exposed two areas to risk, we did not reach the break-even point. In Urdesa, we recently managed to get the locals to pay only their bills, but we did it with great persistence, with a lot of love.

What strategy did you use to stay afloat?

We started participating in all possible fairs, we won third place at the Raíces Fair (2022) and that put us on the map in Guayaquil. I think maybe because we are in Samborondón we give the sign and image of a very expensive restaurant, but we try to achieve a good price, with good volume and good quality of service.

Has uncertainty affected your business?

We have to work from within and with our own staff, giving them emotional support in a way, because we all experience the same and we have to make a strategy towards our consumers because working hours are changing, people are afraid to go out, consumption time is changing, people are leaving earlier. Guayaco is always eaten at night, 70% of traffic is at night and on weekends, so it seriously affects us, but we try to be supportive, keep the brand active with promotions delivery and within the institution.

Is Ecuador a difficult country to undertake?

Ecuador is a country of opportunity, I actually believe that. In other countries they have a lot more difficulties, maybe the problem here is that we want things fast and we don’t want to do things the right way, sometimes the university of life is more expensive. I suggest to people who want to start a business in Ecuador that you have to do things right, step by step, set plans for one year, three years, five years, achievable goals and go little by little.

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What are your future plans as an entrepreneur?

The possibility of opening a third branch, the possibility of going to another province; In about five years should open a store here in Guayaquil, maybe an express store in a mall, go to Quito; and to be able to take the brand out of the country, I have Florida, United States, as a reference. I also have Bogota (Colombia), Barcelona (Spain) on my dream map in 20 years.

And your profession?

Personally, my dream is to start integrative medicine again, right now I’m progressing – it will be in five years – in a place of wellness, health, where people can heal their spirit.