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In an interview published by Economia SC on 10/31/2025, Júlia Cherem shared how the brigadeiros sold at school turned into the brand Júlia Cherem – Sweet Moments, in Florianópolis, with a café opened in 2022, online sales, party orders, and an annual revenue that almost reached R$ 1.9 million in 2024 in the city.
The brigadeiros that Júlia Cherem started selling at the age of 15, during school breaks in Florianópolis, ceased to be just a teenage hobby and transformed into a renowned confectionery in the city. At 26, she runs the brand Júlia Cherem – Sweet Moments, specializing in personalized cakes and sweets.
The journey was detailed in an interview published by Economia SC on 10/31/2025. In the conversation, the confectioner recounted her beginnings at school, the rumors she heard for selling sweets, the support from friends and family, the routine of producing at home during the night, and the business growth, which almost reached R$ 1.9 million in 2024.
How the brigadeiros started at school
Júlia Cherem was 15 when she decided to turn a homemade skill into sales. She already prepared sweets for family and friends, enjoyed testing flavors, and had an interest in entrepreneurship since childhood. As she told Economia SC, the idea came simply: if people liked the sweets she made, why not sell them?
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In the beginning, the brigadeiros were sold at school during breaks. The initiative did not yet have the structure of an established brand, but it already indicated a characteristic that would accompany the entrepreneur’s journey: the ability to observe demand and test possible paths from artisanal production.
Her parents initially preferred she focus on her studies. Later, they accepted the idea. Júlia shared that with the money from the first sales, she managed to buy a new cell phone. What started as a fun experience began to show real business potential.
Even before having a store or professional kitchen, the young woman was already receiving orders for special occasions. She made boxes with four or six sweets, Christmas orders, and gift products. This stage helped broaden the perception that there was room to grow beyond school sales.
Rumors did not prevent the continuation of the business
The exhibition at school also brought comments. Júlia reported hearing a rumor that she sold sweets because her parents needed money. In the interview, she stated that this was not true and that the money stayed with her. Even so, the situation could have discouraged a teenager at the beginning of her journey.
According to the confectioner, the support of her friends was important during that period. They defended her when comments arose and helped maintain her confidence. The story shows the beginning of teenage entrepreneurship without romanticizing difficulty, but also without ignoring the social weight of starting early and being observed by peers.
Júlia stated that she was never ashamed to sell. This attitude contributed to the brigadeiros becoming more than just a one-time income and forming the basis of a professional identity. Over time, the public began to associate the sweets directly with her name.
The brand, however, did not start with its current name. Initially, Júlia used “Santo Brigadeiro.” Later, she noticed that people referred to it as “Júlia’s little sweet.” In the rebranding, she decided to use her own name, giving rise to the brand Júlia Cherem – Sweet Moments.
Home production reached its limit before having its own space
Before opening a structure outside her home, Júlia was already facing space and demand limitations. She mentioned producing sweets at dawn without adequate structure while orders were increasing. A significant episode was a large order made by a friend of her father, paid in cash, which surprised her with the amount involved.
This moment helped reveal the size of the opportunity. The young woman realized, in practice, that personalized sweets and event orders could form a bigger business than she imagined. However, home production began to be insufficient to meet the demand.
The first own space was located on José Boiteux Street, a cross street of Mauro Ramos, in downtown Florianópolis. It was a small production kitchen with a reception area for order pickups, but without a consumption area. Even so, the change represented an important step in professionalization.
With her own space, demand increased and revenue grew by about 50%, according to Júlia informed Economia SC. From there, the brand entered more strongly into weddings, graduations, and larger orders, which could no longer be safely made at home.
Café opened in 2022 became a showcase for orders
The opening of the café in 2022 marked another leap in the brand’s trajectory. According to Júlia, the revenue more than doubled after the physical store. The reason was not just direct sales at the counter, but the role of the space as a showcase for the bakery’s work.
Customers who tried products at the café began to place larger orders. This effect connected immediate consumption, in-person experience, and personalized orders. The store ceased to be just a point of sale and started to function as an entry point for parties, events, and celebrations.
The brand maintained its focus on personalized cakes and sweets, but without abandoning its origins in brigadeiros. The product that started the story remained part of the business’s identity, even with the menu expansion and entry into new sales fronts.
Júlia also stated that she seeks constant updates, both online and in-person, including traveling to follow trends. According to her, the menu is renewed with new items every six months, which helps maintain public interest and consumption recurrence.
Online sales and seasonal dates increased revenue
In addition to the physical store, digital sales began to have significant participation. Júlia reported that approximately 30% of orders come through the website or iFood. She also mentioned the use of paid traffic and stories with links as tools that helped boost orders in the year of the interview.
The online presence reinforces an important change in the bakery sector: the customer can discover the product on social media, purchase through an app, pick up at the store, or order for an event. For artisanal brands, this combination of digital showcase and physical experience can expand scale without losing identity.
Commemorative dates also play a significant role. Júlia mentioned that, in 2020, during an Easter week, she earned R$ 120,000, even in the context of the pandemic. For 2025, she stated that the Easter result was almost double, according to the interview published by Economia SC.
The annual revenue confirms the growth. In 2024, the bakery almost reached R$ 1.9 million. For 2025, the estimate provided by Júlia was to grow 15% and surpass R$ 2 million. As this number was presented as a projection, it should not be treated as a final result.
Online course shows a new stage for the brand
The trajectory of Júlia Cherem – Doces Momentos is also expected to advance into education. In the interview, the entrepreneur stated that she would launch an online confectionery course aimed at beginners and people who already make sweets at home but want to professionalize.
The course proposal includes recipes, financial organization, production, marketing, and customer contact. The goal, according to Júlia, is to help others not face the same challenges she encountered at the beginning. This movement transforms the baker’s practical experience into an educational product.
This type of expansion also shows how a sweets brand can go beyond selling food. When the business gains reputation, the founder’s story, processes, and learnings gain their own value. The bakery, in this case, also becomes a reference for those who want to start.
Even so, Júlia stated that growth needs to preserve quality. Regarding new units, she said there is a desire to expand, but without a specific plan for quantity. The priority, according to her, is to maintain the business standard.
What Júlia Cherem’s story reveals about starting small
Júlia Cherem’s journey shows how a business can be born from a simple skill, gain strength with consistency, and professionalize without erasing its origin. The brigadeiros sold at school paved the way for orders, a dedicated space, a café, online sales, and a brand that almost grossed R$ 1.9 million in 2024.
The case also reinforces that growth doesn’t happen just by going viral or by luck. There was product testing, listening to the audience, close support, brand adaptation, digital presence, taking advantage of seasonal dates, and investment in the shopping experience. The combination of artisanal production and commercial vision was what allowed transforming a hobby into a million-dollar business.
At the same time, the story maintains a human point: a teenager who started selling sweets listened to feedback, produced at home during the nights, and had to change structure as demand grew. The merit of the case lies less in sacrifice and more in the ability to turn learning into strategy.
Do you think stories like Júlia Cherem’s inspire new entrepreneurs because they show real opportunity or because they reveal how difficult it is to grow while maintaining quality? Leave your opinion in the comments.
