Young entrepreneurs in Balvi go from years of searching to a chocolate factory
Aleta Boldāne and Niks Mičs are building the LaVersa Chocolate production business in Balvi, Latvia. Within a year it has launched an online shop and a store, and bought new equipment ahead of export plans.
A new chocolate producer, LaVersa Chocolate, is operating in Balvi, in eastern Latvia. It was founded by Aleta Boldāne and Niks Mičs, who returned to their home region after years of work and study abroad. They began developing the chocolate idea in spring 2025 and have been making sweets for just over a year. The company has now added new machines to its facility so it can begin exporting.
The road to a business idea
Niks trained as a car mechanic at Rēzekne Technical School, spent a year and a half working on aircraft at the airline airBaltic, and later sought work in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Aleta studied landscape architecture in Jelgava but did not finish her degree. Both lived in the Netherlands, taking a variety of jobs.
Before chocolate, they tried three other ideas: a dropshipping model, a service for collecting customer reviews, and decorations made from dried roses. None worked out, and each used up some of their savings. The couple regards the experience as useful. A wish to live closer to their families drew them back to Latvia.
From a home kitchen to a factory
Chocolate came up in their lives several times. They visited an industry fair in Amsterdam and workshops in Brussels, where a Belgian chocolatier advised them to start with dragées. After moving to Latvia, they began in their apartment kitchen, then received a loan from Altum for a dragée machine, set up a limited company and rented production premises. The machine reached Balvi last July. In October the company was accepted into the incubator of LIAA, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, and in November its online shop opened.
This spring a shop opened in the town centre, which also hosts tours and tastings. In September, running its single machine, the company produced a record 400 kg of dragées. With three machines it plans to make about 800 kg a month.
Plans ahead
The founders want to produce dragées for other brands, take first export steps in the Netherlands, Finland and Estonia, and aim at the premium gift segment. The brand will be renamed Versa Confectionary. Two employees have joined the team since September.
