Maintenance
Luanna Braga
In this interview, Luanna discusses the project’s origins, the lessons that helped her structure it, and the steps that allowed her to turn the idea into reality.
Graduate student Luxury Hospitality and Product Management at the Geneva Hotel School, Luanna Braga has turned an idea that took shape during her studies into a full-fledged entrepreneurial venture: Lou&Rose. Together with her mother, she developed a concept for travel-inspired, artisanal individual desserts that blend pastry expertise, brand identity, and customer experience.
Your career path has taken you from the web to luxury management. How did these different experiences lead you to come up with the idea for Lou & Rose?
“I’ve been working in the digital industry for over ten years, and I was already self-employed before starting my postgraduate program. My initial goal was mainly to tailor my services to a more high-end clientele, particularly in the luxury sector.
At the same time, my mother, who had been baking cakes for several years, dreamed of starting her own business. When the postgraduate program began, I decided to take on the challenge with her, combining her expertise in pastry with my skills in web design and communication.”
Lou & Rose was founded while you were pursuing your postgraduate studies at EHG. How did the idea come about, and at what point did you feel it was worth bringing to life?
“At first, Lou & Rose was more of a Plan B. We wanted to offer whole cakes with a high-end positioning.
The breakthrough came during the “Innovation, Creativity & Global Trends” module with Emma Piau, where Design Thinking pushed me to step outside my comfort zone. At the same time, we were facing a problem: our cakes were so moist that they didn’t always hold their shape when assembled. Two of them even collapsed!
“So I killed two birds with one stone by coming up with the idea of individual desserts served in clear cans. That’s how a manufacturing problem turned into the Lou & Rose concept.”
What role did your education play in this process? Was there a particular lesson, conversation, or realization that helped you take the plunge?
“Above all, the training helped me turn an idea into a structured project. The concepts of accounting and financial management were especially helpful in calculating my costs, setting my prices, and putting together a coherent and viable business proposal.
Beyond creativity, I learned to think like an entrepreneur, taking into account both the customer experience and the project’s profitability. That’s what gave me the confidence to take the plunge.”
Your concept combines artisanal desserts, an original format, and inspiration from around the world. What was the idea behind it, and what kind of experience did you want to offer through it?
“I wanted to create something a little out of the ordinary, without losing the artisanal and indulgent quality of our cakes. The idea was to offer individual desserts that are easy to enjoy, but above all, to build a world centered around travel.
Each recipe represents a destination, with flavors associated with it. I wanted customers to choose not just a cake, but a destination to discover. That’s where our slogan comes from: ‘the dessert that takes you on a journey without getting on a plane!’”
How did your education at EHG help you overcome these entrepreneurial challenges?
“When it came to oenology and wine courses, I had already acquired a great deal of knowledge through my personal interest in the subject. The EHG, however, allowed me to organize that knowledge and, above all, to develop a systematic approach. This methodology was then very helpful as I continued to deepen my knowledge of other wine-producing regions around the world. It was also useful when I prepared for the WSET at the end of my studies.”
But what probably benefited me the most during my training were the internships. They gave me a practical understanding of how a company operates, helped me discover the demands of the professional world, and allowed me to mature.
“My most recent internship at La Cave de Genève was particularly pivotal. It reinforced my desire to make winemaking my career and gave me my first hands-on experience in the wine industry. Looking back, that experience clearly played an important role in the rest of my career.”
The Luxury Hospitality and Product Management postgraduate program encourages students to reflect on a product’s value, its identity, and the experience it offers. How did these reflections shape the development of Lou & Rose?
“What I took away from this is that a good product isn’t necessarily enough to build a brand. You also have to think about what sets it apart, how it’s presented, and what customers will take away from their experience—lessons we learned in particular during the Luxury Branding, Marketing & Product Development module with Patrick Bellair. That’s why we worked on Lou & Rose’s brand identity.” “centered around travel. The names of our desserts, the recipes, the colors, the packaging, and even our marketing all reflect this concept. I wanted people to be able to recognize our brand identity even before they’ve tasted our desserts.”
There’s often a gap between the initial idea and its realization—one that you can only truly gauge once you take the plunge. What surprised you most about this transition, and what lessons did you take away from it?
“I’d say the most surprising thing is everything that goes into a product that seems so simple! Between testing recipes, finding suppliers, packaging, hygiene regulations, logistics, and deliveries, there’s a lot to manage.”
And then, there’s a real difference between coming up with a concept and putting it to the test with real customers. You can spend weeks thinking about a single detail and then realize, once the product is launched, that people’s expectations are completely different. Above all, I’ve learned that you shouldn’t wait until everything is perfect before getting started. You have to test, listen to feedback, make adjustments, and sometimes be willing to rethink your own ideas.”
Has your training allowed you to approach certain stages of the project from a different perspective—whether in product development, brand strategy, or understanding customer expectations?
“Yes, especially thanks to the ‘Understanding the Luxury Consumer’ module with Stanislas Helou, which led me to think more deeply about our target audience. Before launching Lou & Rose, I took the time to define our personas, understand their habits, their expectations, and—most importantly—the challenges we could help them address. In particular, I asked myself why someone would choose our desserts over a traditional cake, on what occasions they might order them, and what would catch their attention.”
“This approach allowed me not only to develop an original product, but also to build an offering that meets real needs, with a clear positioning and an identity that sets us apart.”
Luxury places particular emphasis on attention to detail and the consistency of the overall experience. How do these concepts fit into your approach to developing Lou & Rose?
“For me, luxury is found above all in the details and the quality of the experience. Our packaging is extremely popular, especially because of its premium feel. Nothing is left to chance: the top of the can resembles a boarding pass, and our labels are intentionally understated to let the product shine.
We’ve also invested in high-quality insulated packaging, since we operate exclusively through delivery. The goal is for every dessert to arrive intact, regardless of the weather. For me, the experience begins the moment the product is received—not just with the first bite.”
What was your favorite module in the Luxury Hospitality and Product Management postgraduate program, and why?
“It’s hard to pick just one! But I’d say the two courses that made the biggest impression on me were ‘Understanding the Luxury Consumer’ and ‘Financial Management’ with Wafa Gzara.”
I particularly enjoyed *Understanding the Luxury Consumer* because it allowed me to learn about a customer base I knew very little about and to better understand their expectations, behaviors, and perceptions of luxury.
The Financial Management module was also a great discovery. Coming from a digital background, I didn’t know much about financial management. I learned some very practical concepts that I use today to better manage my business and take a step back when making decisions.
“And of course, I can’t help but mention Creativity & Innovation, since it was during that module that Lou & Rose really took shape!”
If you had to take away one thing from this experience—both from an entrepreneurial and a personal perspective—what would it be? And how do you now view the opportunities that lie ahead?
“I’d say you shouldn’t wait until everything is perfect to get started. You can have an idea and work on it for months, but ultimately, it’s by taking action that you learn the most.
On a personal level, this experience has taught me above all to step outside my comfort zone, adapt, and have more confidence in my ideas. Today, I see many more possibilities than I did before. Lou & Rose is just getting started, but this adventure has made me want to go even further and see how far we can take it.”
What advice would you give to someone who is hesitant about enrolling in this postgraduate program?
“Above all, I would tell her to be bold, even if she doesn’t have a clear idea of what she wants to do next.
Personally, I started this postgraduate program with the goal of expanding my digital business to reach a more upscale clientele. I never would have imagined I’d come out of it with a dessert brand!
What makes this program so enriching is precisely the diversity of the courses, the people we meet, and the perspectives it offers us. We discover new fields, but sometimes also abilities we never knew we had.
“Today, Lou & Rose brings me so much joy, both professionally and personally. And if I had to take away just one thing from this experience, it’s that you shouldn’t be afraid to change direction. Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones you never saw coming.”
We wish Luanna, Lou & Rose every success and great prosperity as they pursue this entrepreneurial venture.
At the Geneva Hotel School, we are proud to see our students turn their ideas into concrete projects and successfully carry out initiatives that are close to their hearts.
The next intake for post-diploma programs will be in March 2027. Find all the information at ehg.ch.
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