Our Story

Bakti was born six years ago in the heart of Piran — one of Slovenia's most beautiful coastal towns, where Venetian architecture meets the Adriatic Sea. It was here, surrounded by Mediterranean flavours and a deep respect for nature, that Samanta Rejc, Jožica Rejec, and Sash Krasnov came together with a shared vision: to create something truly special.

From Piran to the World

What started as a small artisanal concept in Piran quickly grew into something much bigger. A year and a half ago, Bakti took its first international step at the Franchise Expo in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — and the response was extraordinary. Today, Bakti is actively developing franchise partnerships in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Brazil, Serbia, and Georgia, bringing our philosophy of quality, authenticity, and care to new cultures and communities around the world.

Our Philosophy

At Bakti, we believe that great food and drink should never come at the expense of the planet or its creatures. That is why we are plant-based and committed to using natural, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. We deeply respect local cultures, cuisines, and traditions — and this shapes everything we create, from our signature gelato to our handcrafted mocktails.

A part of everything we do is always directed towards environmental protection and animal welfare. This is not just a value — it is the foundation of who we are.

The People Behind Bakti

Bakti is built on the passion and dedication of its founders — Samanta Rejc, Jožica Rejec, and Sash Krasnov — and the talented team they have gathered around them. From our bartenders crafting Bakti Cola with tamarind and Slovenian mineral water, to our pastry chefs creating each piece with care, every person at Bakti shares the same commitment to excellence.

Samanta Rejc — CEO & Co-Founder

Samanta Rejc is the CEO of Bakti and one of its founding visionaries, responsible for the company's development and people. A woman of many talents, Samanta is a writer, artist, and cosmetician who has built and led her own agencies and businesses throughout her career. She has organized events, managed creative projects, and brought people together through her entrepreneurial spirit.

Samanta is a member of a world specialty coffee barista organisation — a testament to her deep passion for the craft of coffee. She is also an innovative creator of beverages and coffee preparations, constantly pushing the boundaries of what a drink can be. Her creativity, vision, and dedication to excellence are at the heart of everything Bakti stands for.

Jožica Rejec — Culinary Mastermind & Co-Founder

Jožica Rejec — lovingly known as Mama Jožica — brings over 25 years of culinary mastery to Bakti. She honed her craft at a 550-year-old Slovenian inn, perfecting recipes passed down through generations. Her family carries an extraordinary legacy: five generations of exceptional female culinary masters, each one building on the wisdom of those before her.

Jožica's specialities are her handcrafted breads, baked with patience and love, alongside homemade pastas, desserts, biscuits, jams, and juices. She is deeply connected to the land — both of her parents were professional gardeners who worked at the renowned Arboretum Volčji Potok, one of Slovenia's most celebrated natural landmarks. That love of nature and growing things lives on in her.

At Bakti, Jožica's inspiration shines most brightly in our pastries and desserts — each one a reflection of her warmth, heritage, and lifelong dedication to the art of cooking.

Sash Krasnov — Gelato Visionary & Co-Founder

Sash Krasnov has deep roots in Piran — his family settled in this beautiful coastal town right after World War II, at a time when no one yet knew whether Piran would belong to Italy or Yugoslavia. Connected to the sea, to people, and — from the very beginning — to ice cream.

That lifelong love of ice cream transformed a few years ago into a true gelato obsession. Sash began researching and studying whether gelato could be made differently — better, more natural, more innovative. He trained in Italy, yet even there he did not find all the answers he was looking for. Years of experimentation, recipe creation, and developing his own gelato bases led to a result that simply melts in your mouth: Bakti Gelato.

By his other calling, Sash is an artist, dance teacher, and a proud member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London and IDTA, UK. Yet it is with a gelato spoon that he dances most harmoniously — moving between 22 unique gelato groups, each one a world of its own. You can discover them all under our Gelato section.

George Jr. Moussa — Co-Owner & Business Partner

George Jr. Moussa is our business partner and co-owner of Bakti, originally from New York, USA. A true global citizen, George has lived in Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Lebanon, Morocco, and beyond — his life shaped by cultures, cuisines, and communities from across the world.

In recent years, he was based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he advised entrepreneurs, managed restaurants on the Jeddah waterfront, and organized large-scale music and entertainment events. By profession, George is a financial and business consultant — bringing strategic expertise and an international network to everything he does.

George comes from a family with a legacy of over 40 restaurants across America, including numerous establishments in New York City. He himself has owned several retail stores and a gelato business in malls throughout New York and the surrounding area — making him a perfect partner for Bakti's global vision.

Welcome to Bakti. We are glad you found us.