Sonho bringing Portuguese craftsmanship from Sursee to the world
Sursee - With its hybrid model of online retail, high street stores and direct business with restaurants and hotels, sonho Schweiz AG brings Portuguese craftsmanship to the world. A pop-up shop at Zurich Airport has opened the doors for the company to secure growth abroad.
Sonho Schweiz AG is on the growth path. Founded in Sursee in 2022, the company specializes in business with Portuguese handicrafts. To begin with, the company sold mainly ceramics, before moving into other segments such as textiles. It buys the products directly from the manufacturers in Portugal. «Interest in Portuguese handicrafts is on the rise», says co-founder Veronika Miranda, who actually has Portuguese roots herself.
Growth was made possible due to the fact that sonho pursued a hybrid model right from the word go. The online shop was supplemented by a physical store in Sursee in the canton of Lucerne. «We need the shop to offer customers an experience and to be able to see their reactions», as co-founder Fabricio Mast explains. He adds that customers came from as far away as Bern to see the store for themselves.
A pop-up shop at Zurich Airport contributed to the company’s growth. «This increased our visibility and recognition», Mast states. International customers were able to order in the store and have their purchases delivered directly to their homes. «We have also improved our online shop», he adds. There have already been requests to open similar shops in airports abroad, although this, according to Mast, would be premature due to the fact that local partners would need to be found. In any case, they are keen to return to the refurbished retail section of Zurich Airport, but for the time being sonho is concentrating on its stores in Sursee and the one opened in downtown Zurich in 2024.
The third pillar of sonho’s business is focused on a select group of restaurants and hotels that make use of handmade ceramics. «You need a triple-threat strategy for retail success», Mast concludes.
