Charlene Mercieca

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

In our younger years, this was a recurring question, asked by adults who were curious about the future of our young lives. And what did we answer? The more adventurous opted for a career in outer space, while those with a sporty disposition imagined themselves signing up for Real Madrid. The more career-driven wanted to become a lawyer or a doctor, while the business-minded would already have started planning how to take over their parents’ business.

However, not many replied that they wanted to open a soap shop or become a beekeeper – that crowd included Charlene Mercieca and Ray Sciberras. But fast forward to the present day and both have managed to carve a career out of something which they started as a hobby.

When Charlene first started making soap at the age of 15, it was purely out of her interest in natural products. She made her first bar of soap in her mother’s kitchen at home – Charlene would eventually use this kitchen as her workshop for two years.

Charlene’s soap is unique because it is handmade out of natural ingredients, such as fruit puree, essential oils, honey and even chocolate. The bars are artfully shaped into different forms.

“To create something from scratch is an art form in itself,” explains Charlene as she carefully cuts a freshly made roll of soap into bars. “However, it’s not as glamorous as most people think it is. Making soap involves a lot of hard work.”

Charlene tells me that her interest in soap was fuelled by the fact that she had some skin problems when she was younger. She has also always been interested in the beauty industry and completed a course in make-up and beauty. During this course, one of her tutors, who was also interested in natural products, was particularly inspiring and encouraged her to sign up for a course in herbalism.

At the time, Charlene was working as a freelance beauty therapist but she decided to read for a course in product design at the Institute of Art and Design, MCAST.

“I chose product design because I was always intrigued with the idea of producing something,” she says.

At first, Charlene made soap for her personal use – eventually she started giving soap to her friends to try them out. Her products soon gained in popularity and many asked her to start selling her soap.

After an inspirational and eye-opening three-month trip to Thailand, Charlene decided it was time to take her hobby to the next level by opening her very own soap shop in 2009. Soap Café sells soaps, lotions, candles, make-up, teas and herbs and also provides various beauty treatments. Charlene now dedicates her days to making soap, running the shop and organising workshops.

To create something from scratch is an art form in itself- Charlene Mercieca

“Well, it’s not a hobby any more – I don’t make soap at my own leisure. But I’m lucky to be doing what I enjoy most. I love my job and I cannot imagine doing anything else,”

Ray Sciberras

Ray Sciberras would never have imagined that one day he would keep bees for a living. In fact, his original intentions were to work in oil exploration. A change of plans later, Ray is the owner of over 40 beehives spread all over the island – on average, Ray’s bees produce around 2,000kg of honey every year. Ray then turns this golden liquid into a variety of products, including beeswax, candles, marmalades, jams and even carob wine.

Ray bought his first beehives in 2006 from two brothers who were selling their late father’s hives.

“I bought them because I was curious,” he explains. “I had a friend who took me to a field and showed me how bees produce honey. I found it fascinating.

His friends and family thought it was strange that Ray had bought the beehives. However, Ray’s interest in honey grew – he read up on the subject and in his first year, his three hives produced more honey than he could have ever imagined.

“As a hobby, it looked promising,” he says.

At the time, Ray owned a company that was subcontracted by Malta Shipyards and also did some work in the UK. Because of the recession and the change of ownership at Malta Shipyards, Ray decided to take the plunge and take up beekeeping professionally.

“There is a huge difference between doing something as a hobby and taking it up as a career. The risks are bigger. With beekeeping, you are at the mercy of dry weather, bacteria, and accidents, which can ruin a harvest.”

I had a friend who took me to a field and showed me how bees produce honey. I found it fascinating- Ray Sciberras

But on the whole, Malta’s diverse flora creates a good environment for beekeeping. Ray has taken part in international events and explains that other big honey producing companies have tasted his Maltese honey and stated that it was even better than theirs.

Ray is now completing a beekeeping course by correspondence at the British Beekeeping Association while also running his business and trying to raise awareness on the goodness of Malta’s honey.