She discovered her passion as a child making food for her siblings. Today, her sweets are known far and wide. We introduce you to her business: Delícias da Domícia. 

Domícia was very young when she started to make sweets to sell. Though small scale at first, as the years went by, her customers made eating them almost a tradition. As sales rose, she realized the time had come to open a restaurant. And so, in Campos Sales, Ceará (Brazil), Delícias da Domícia was born. 

When Domícia was a child, her mother would leave her in charge of her siblings while she went out to work. Cooking for them unearthed an innate skill that she honed over time; it would soon become a dream that has now come true. 

With the help of a small loan, she bought tables, chairs, tablecloths and all the equipment she needed to start up a business. “I got the loan really quickly. I applied for it in the morning and, by the afternoon, the money was there”, Domícia said.

She’s always been close to her customers and is on a first-name basis with most of them. Offering a fast, friendly service is the cornerstone of her business, which managed to weather the peak of the pandemic in 2020. While the restaurant was closed, she carried on working with her son and an employee to prepare orders for delivery.

Domícia has no doubt that quality and speed are what sets her business apart. It’s gone from strength to strength to the point where she now sells her sweets outside Brazil. With the help of Santander Prospera, she plans to expand. “I want to invest more to grow the business. I’m planning to open another restaurant near the bus station. I’m just waiting for the green light from the authorities. It will be bigger and attract more customers due to its location”.  

Santander Brasil has granted over 1.4 billion euros (9 billion reals) in micro loans in 1,600 towns over the last 17 years. Its Prospera Microfinanças initiative has helped boost the business of more than one million entrepreneurs, small businesses and communities. Leading magazine Euromoney recently named Santander the ‘Best Bank for SMEs in Latin America 2021” for Prospera’s support to micro businesses and other stand-out initiatives.