Adrian Cadar is the founder of Bio Holistic and the Obio organic products brand, passionate about nature, music, and a healthy lifestyle. He founded the company in 2008, while the Obio brand was launched in 2012.

C&B: If you were to look at the narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Adrian Cadar: Certainly, the moment when I joined a multinational company, which gave me early access to everything related to systems and processes within a large organization. And later, of course, the moment when I decided to leave the multinational environment and embark on the entrepreneurial journey on my own. However, both moments are rooted in my self-taught mindset and my early determination, from around the age of 18–19, to know what I wanted from my career. Of course, I did not know at 18 that I would work in the organic products industry, but I knew I would be independent and that I would eventually have my own business.

C&B: Bio Holistic has grown to a portfolio of more than 2,500 products and hundreds of partners. What were the most important strategic decisions behind this growth?

Adrian Cadar: Probably the most important decision was creating our own organic products brand, Obio. Choosing suppliers is also crucial, and we were fortunate to establish partnerships with some of the most renowned European suppliers in the organic market. Another important decision was focusing our energy on the traditional trade segment, or the specialized market as we often call it.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Adrian Cadar: Yes, from a young age I had the desire and ambition to be independent and to have my own business. Around the age of 18, I came across a book called “Secrets of the Mind, Secrets of Success,” which completely changed my perspective on what is needed to succeed in life. My personal development journey started with that book. I consistently applied everything I learned from all the self-development books I read. There was no internet back then, and books were the only source of information. To this day, everything I have set out to achieve has come true, without exception.

C&B: How would you describe the evolution of the organic products market in Romania from the time you started until today?

Adrian Cadar: The market grew rapidly until after the pandemic. Over the past two or three years, growth has slowed, but not only in Romania; there has been a decline or stagnation across Europe. We know that the European economic situation has not been particularly favorable in recent years, and this is reflected in the organic products market as well. Of course, the share of organic products is still very small in Romania, which I estimate at around 1% of total products, while in developed countries it can exceed 10%. There is significant room for growth, and the market will certainly continue to expand in the coming years. In countries such as Italy, France, and Germany, there are hundreds and even thousands of specialized organic stores, whereas in Romania we cannot yet really speak of organic stores (with the exception of 3–4 stores in Bucharest), but rather organic sections or corners within larger stores.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Adrian Cadar: They would probably say that we are very serious, that we operate with a high level of professionalism, and that we are trustworthy.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made, one that changed your trajectory?

Adrian Cadar: Although I knew from a young age that I would eventually have my own business, I did not know in which field. So I would say that the decision to open a small natural products store in Oradea in 2008 was the one that ultimately introduced me to organic products and the organic products market.

C&B: In your view, what does a truly “holistic” lifestyle mean, and how do you translate it into business?

Adrian Cadar: Holistic essentially means seeing things as a whole, as I like to say. A holistic lifestyle means taking care of the body, the mind, and the soul (or spirit, if you prefer). I would say that an organization such as a company “lives” holistically when it pays equal attention to all aspects necessary for its proper functioning.

C&B: How do you select suppliers and brands for your portfolio in order to maintain quality standards?

Adrian Cadar: Of course, there is a technical selection process, so to speak. We look at certifications and product sources. But there is also the element of feeling, of value alignment with a supplier, something that cannot be translated into software. And very often, that is what makes the difference. If we do not resonate with a potential supplier, we do not start the collaboration. There are quite a few cases where we turn down partnerships. We have brands in our portfolio that we have worked with for many years, brands with which we share the same values and the same high quality standards, and which place great importance on what is called business ethics. We are proud of that and of our suppliers.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Adrian Cadar: In the morning, I wake up, drink one or two large glasses of water, and head to the office. I check my emails and read the business news when I arrive, then move on to the tasks for the day. Around midday, I pick up my youngest son from school and we go to the gym. Of course, he does not actually work out; he just supervises me, but I hope this routine becomes ingrained in his subconscious so that he will stay active when he grows up. After the gym, we go home for lunch, which is also my first meal of the day. I return to the office for another one or two hours, and by around 5–6 p.m. I am back home, where we have dinner together as a family. By 10 p.m. at the latest, I am in bed, as sleep is extremely important for recharging my batteries for the next day. As you can see, nothing unusual, perhaps even boring for some people. But I believe that routine and consistency produce the best results over time.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them every day?

Adrian Cadar: I try to be fair, transparent, and to encourage those around me to look at life with optimism and confidence. I strongly believe that we cannot receive unless we first give. If I can do a good deed, I do it, because I know it will come back to me in one form or another. We always receive what we give in life.

C&B: How did the Bio Holistic story begin, and what motivated you to enter the organic products and healthy lifestyle sector?

Adrian Cadar: It all started in 2008 when I opened a small natural products store in Oradea. I chose that business because I was passionate about nutrition and healthy living and had completed various complementary therapy courses at the time. Alongside the physical store, I also launched an online store. While searching for organic products, both for my family and for the store’s customers, I realized there was very little variety among suppliers at that time. So I began looking for suppliers myself. Initially, I brought products only for my own store, and in 2012 I launched the B2B distribution channel as well. That same year, we launched our first products under the Obio brand and launched the website www.obio.ro. It is a wonderful field in which I feel useful, helping people pay attention to what they eat while also protecting nature at the same time.

C&B: How do you see the evolution of this sector over the next 5–10 years, both in Romania and internationally?

Adrian Cadar: The current global context is a complicated one, and certainly the organic products market may also be affected. On one hand, we have wars that are significantly increasing energy costs, and on the other hand, Romania’s complicated situation caused by the political class. Despite this, I remain optimistic that the organic market will be less affected than other sectors. In the long term, Romania still has considerable room for growth, and opportunities lie primarily in processing, as there are currently very few organic product processors in the country. We export a great deal of raw materials and import many finished products. Within five years, we could witness a doubling of the market if both the global and national economies recover.

Adrian Cadar’s journey demonstrates how long-term vision, consistency, and a passion for healthy living can turn an idea into a leading business. Through Bio Holistic and Obio, he contributes to the development of Romania’s organic products market by promoting quality, sustainability and responsible consumption.

The post Adrian Cadar, Founder of Bio Holistic and Obio – on organic products entrepreneurship and the future of Romania’s organic market appeared first on careers-business.com.

Toanchină Ioana Miruna is the co-founder of Rawmantic, one of the first brands in Romania specialized in premium raw-vegan desserts with no added sugar, building a concept that redefines the idea of “sweet” through health, aesthetics, and experience.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: If I were to define a few key moments, the first would be the decision to start Rawmantic together with my sister, Andreea, at a time when we had no guarantees, right in the middle of the pandemic, but with a strong belief: that we could change the way people perceive desserts.

A second defining moment was market validation—when we realized that it was not just a passion project, but a scalable business, anchored in a real market need, both in the B2C and B2B segments.

And the third moment was the transition from “we do everything ourselves” to “we build a brand and a system.” That was the point when I understood that entrepreneurship is not just about the product, but about vision, processes, and the ability to grow sustainably.

C&B: What was the most difficult business decision you’ve made so far and what valuable lesson did you learn from that experience?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: One of the most difficult decisions was to give up the idea of making “everything perfect before launch” and to enter the market earlier, accepting that not everything could be perfect.

The lesson was extremely valuable: the market teaches you more than any plan. Real-life feedback beats any theoretical strategy.

I believe my biggest lesson is that, many times, perfectionism can be a trap that many founders fall into—and in business, speed of execution and the ability to adapt are what make you relevant in the long term.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Yes—the desire to build something great that has a real impact on people’s quality of life.

Not just a profitable business, but a brand that changes behaviors: to prove that “healthy” does not mean compromise and that you can have premium experiences without sugar, without excess, and without guilt.

In the long term, my ambition is to position Rawmantic as a benchmark in the “guilt-free indulgence” space at a European level. I have immense confidence in myself, in my ambition, and in my ability to take this business where I set out to.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey and how do you feel you have transformed up to now?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: At the beginning, I was much more focused on execution and the product—I wanted it to be perfect, to look good, to taste impeccable, trying to make everything a 10 out of 10.

Today, I think much more strategically. I see the business as an ecosystem: brand, distribution, profitability, scaling, scaling, scaling.

The most important transformation is the shift from “we make desserts” to “we build a brand with direction, positioning, and impact.” From a certain level, it’s no longer just about how good the product looks or tastes, but about how capable you are of creating a coherent operational system—from production and refrigerated delivery to retail listing and maintaining quality.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: I think they would say that I am demanding and hard to satisfy, but always growth-oriented.

I place a strong emphasis on standards—both in the product and in the image and experience. At the same time, I am 100% involved in what I do and I always look for solutions, not blame. I see every challenge as an opportunity to do things better.

And, probably, they would also say that I am extremely stubborn and the ideal combination between rational thinking and emotional intelligence. I was often told when I entered the world of entrepreneurship that in order to succeed, I had to think like a man.

Well, I managed to succeed by acting like a man at times, but also knowing when to make empathetic decisions and when to use my intuition in building relationships.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: The decision to transform Rawmantic from a small project into a scalable business.

It meant investing in branding, distribution, processes, and taking on greater financial risks.

This mindset shift—from “small producer” to “brand with expansion potential”—is what completely changed our trajectory.

C&B: What has your role as co-founder taught you about leadership and decision-making under pressure?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: That leadership does not mean always having the answers, but having clarity of direction.

In the toughest moments, I learned to make decisions based on numbers, but also on intuition—especially in a creative business, where not everything is quantifiable. There were many times when I had all the possible data available, and the best decision turned out to be the one with the least “data,” but the closest to my heart

And…perhaps the most important lesson: to remain calm in crisis situations and to always project stability and self-control, because the team always absorbs the leader’s energy.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now and which moments bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: My days are divided between strategy, operations, and product development. I wake up at 8, prepare my breakfast, take my supplements, get an energy boost from the coffee shop downstairs, which is when I start my day. I go to the production space, create the plan for the day, reply to emails, and attend meetings. I never end a day without movement—running, weights, or cardio. It helps me a lot to clear my mind of the stress accumulated during the day.

I work both on the business side—partnerships, distribution, optimization—and on the brand and experience side.

The most satisfying moments are when I see the final product reaching the customer and the real reactions of people—that’s when everything takes shape and we know we are on the right path.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do and how do you apply them daily?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Authenticity, quality, and determination. Grit.

We don’t launch products we don’t believe in and we don’t make compromises that affect the customer experience.

I apply these principles in every decision—from ingredients to partnerships and the way we communicate.

We will never choose solely based on profitability, and we have often sacrificed profit margins in favor of product quality. The customer always feels when a producer lowers quality, and it is very hard to win back a disappointed customer.

C&B: How did the idea of Rawmantic come about and what need did you identify in the market before launching the platform?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: The idea came from a personal need.

Following the transformation my sister Andreea went through—losing over 70 kg—we understood how important it is to have real, not restrictive, alternatives for sweets.

There were “sugar-free” products on the market, but very few that were truly tasty, premium, and coherent as a brand. Many were full of processed, inflammatory ingredients, with sugar replaced by alternatives that were even more harmful.

We identified exactly this gap: desserts that look, feel, and position themselves at a premium level, while also being healthy and containing no sugar.

C&B: If you were to summarize the essence of Rawmantic in a single sentence to inspire readers, what would it be and why?

Toanchină Ioana Miruna: Rawmantic is proof that you don’t have to choose between pleasure and balance—you can have both, in a more conscious, refined, and sustainable way. Because you matter, and what truly matters is what you do in the long term.

The Rawmantic story is not just about desserts, but about mindset, ownership, and long-term building. Beyond the product, one lesson stands out: the real difference lies in the ability to take action, adapt, and build consistently—even when the path is far from perfect.

The post Toanchină Ioana Miruna, co-Founder of Rawmantic: The story of a brand redefining healthy desserts appeared first on careers-business.com.