Today His Brand Conquers Dubrovnik
Moritz Fried, a former investment banker at J.P. Morgan and Lehman Brothers, has opened two locations of his artisanal ice cream Moritz Eis in Dubrovnik, a brand built on the philosophy of happiness.
Moritz Fried, a former investment banker at J.P. Morgan and Lehman Brothers, has opened two locations of his artisanal ice cream Moritz Eis in Dubrovnik, a brand built on the philosophy of happiness.
Before dedicating his life to making ice cream, Moritz Fried moved in the world of high finance. He studied in London and Paris and built his career at the investment banks J.P. Morgan and Lehman Brothers, before moving into private equity. However, despite the intellectual challenges and privileges that this job brought, over time the idea of building something of his own matured within him.
Today, Fried is the founder of the international artisanal ice cream brand Moritz Eis, which arrived in Croatia this summer. The first two locations were opened in Dubrovnik, and its arrival is credited to Croatian partners, the married couple Marija Pajić Bačić and Antonio Bačić. In an interview with Index.hr, Fried recounted how an ordinary queue outside a Viennese pastry shop set him on an entirely new life path.
Although it seems like a natural progression, Fried's first entrepreneurial idea had nothing to do with ice cream. "I seriously considered opening a bakery," he revealed to Index.hr. The pivotal moment came during a visit to his native Vienna, when he saw a long line of people outside a pastry shop. Out of curiosity, he joined the queue, and what he saw completely captivated him.
"I remember thinking: 'Why are people willing to wait so long for something as simple as ice cream?'" Fried recalled. The answer, he realized, lay in emotion. "It wasn't really about the ice cream, but about the emotion. Ice cream has an incredible ability to bring a smile to people's faces, regardless of their age, nationality, or profession," he explained.
He soon traveled to Italy to spend months learning about artisanal gelato, but he didn't want to copy someone else's concept. "Innovation never comes from copying someone else's success. I didn't want to recreate an Italian gelateria. I wanted to create something with its own identity," he emphasized. From this idea was born the brand's philosophy called The Art of Happiness.
One of the most unusual stories from the early days of Moritz Eis involves a 16-hour train journey. Fried had just opened his first shop when he packed several flavors of ice cream in an insulated box with dry ice and set off on a long trip. The goal was to visit his friend Douglas Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face and a renowned conservationist.
"It's absolutely true," Fried confirmed the story. "At the time, we had just opened the shop, and I wanted someone whose opinion I deeply respected to taste what we had created." Tompkins liked the ice cream, and their conversation eventually led to the brand's expansion into South America. "Looking back now, it sounds a bit crazy, but entrepreneurship often requires exactly that kind of faith in what you're doing," he added.
Moritz Eis is now present in several European and South American countries, and Croatia, according to Fried, emerged as a natural next step. The key role was played by partners Marija Pajić Bačić and Antonio Bačić, who brought the brand to Dubrovnik. "When I met my partners, I immediately recognized the same passion that inspired me when I founded Moritz Eis. They weren't just talking about opening another business; they were personally involved in every aspect of the operation," Fried recounted.
The first location opened in the historic core at Široka Street 4, near Stradun, while the second is in Lapad, at Šetalište Nika i Meda Pucića 1. Fried emphasizes that their passion was crucial in selecting partners. "Business skills can always be learned. Passion and hospitality cannot," he said.
Dubrovnik, he believes, is an ideal place for a brand like his. "People here appreciate craftsmanship, quality food, and top-notch experiences. Dubrovnik especially welcomes visitors from around the world while retaining a very strong local identity," he concluded.
Fried's corporate experience also shaped the way he runs his own company. People occupy a central place in his business philosophy. "I spent enough years in the corporate world to realize that companies aren't built by numbers. They're built by people," he said. He is convinced that guests can tell if employees don't enjoy their work. "If the team feels respected, motivated, and proud of their work, guests will feel it too. For me, happy employees were never just a slogan. They were always a business strategy," he added.
When it comes to the product itself, Fried follows a simple principle: exceptional ingredients don't need complexity. Only natural ingredients are used, without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and the best ones, he claims, can cost three or even four times more than the usual ones. Over the years, they have developed more than 200 flavors, with inspiration coming from travels, local markets, art, and music.
One of the biggest surprises was the combination of blood orange and ginger. "People were initially skeptical. Today, it's one of our signature flavors," he revealed. Still, for a first encounter with Moritz Eis in Dubrovnik, he recommends a classic, pistachio. "It sounds simple, but it's precisely simplicity that's hardest to perfect. When ingredients are exceptional, you don't need to hide them behind complexity," he explained.
Although he left behind prestigious positions in the world of finance, Fried calls leaving that career the biggest professional risk, but also the best decision of his life. His focus remains on careful, not expansive, growth. "The biggest challenge is resisting the temptation to grow too fast. Opening shops isn't particularly hard. Maintaining the same philosophy everywhere is," he pointed out.
When asked what he is most proud of, he doesn't talk about business results, but about the scenes in his shops. "Ice cream has a wonderful ability to erase differences. For a few minutes, everyone becomes a child again. If we've managed to create that feeling, then we've achieved what I set out to do all those years ago," he said. His ultimate goal is clear: "I'd rather have fewer shops that people truly love than many that people merely visit. At the end of the day, Moritz Eis was never just about ice cream. It's about creating small moments of happiness."
