Launching in the middle of the global pandemic, she soon realized she doesn’t crack under pressure, either: “A few months after the first products were launched, the demand for our products grew very quickly, and it was overwhelming to quickly learn how to manage everything at a time when the team was still very small,” Daniela shares candidly. “I feel that this pressure to respond to the growing market made me find leadership skills that otherwise would have taken me much more time to acquire.” What has worked for her, personally, in this exciting whirlwind of an experience? For as long as she remembers, she has cultivated the habit of waking up very early and taking some time to herself in the morning, organizing her day, and setting tasks: “This way, I arrive at our production plant early and I get more done. In my perspective, having a calm and healthy routine in the morning changes everything, and can really be an improvement in our mood during the working day.” 

2021 was CURA’s first year in business. “We started selling only to local shops and groceries in Porto, Portugal, but quickly spread to other cities and gained new clients. We surpassed all goals we had for our first year in business, and started selling to Spain, too. This alone more than doubled our sales,” the vegan cheesemaker reflects. “With our work, we would like to contribute to changing eating habits and being a part of the food production system that respects the producer, the consumer, and the planet without harming animals.”