Page 138 - KZN Top Business Portfolio 2018

FRIMAX FOODS (PTY) LTD

Managing Director: Operations Director:
Abdool Kader Essa Shamir Essa
www.frimax.co.za
their dad, a formidable team was formed. Mr Essa and
A HOUSEHOLD NAME
his sons run a tight ship; to keep costs at a minimum.
On the 20 October 1982, the very first packet of potato They are involved in every aspect of the business. This
chips was produced by a new start-up company in hands-on approach has enabled them to keep their
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal (then Natal) called fingers on the pulse at all times, both in the market
Frimax Foods, headed by a 37 year old visionary, Mr place, as well as in the operation itself. Quality is of the
Haroon Essa. utmost importance, and much care is taken to ensure
Frimax Foods has grown to become a household that this is not compromised in any way.
name and a major player in the multibillion-rand Frimax Foods has grown exponentially and caters for
potato and corn snack manufacturing sector. The various business sectors from spaza shops to retailers
company celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2017. and wholesalers as well as chain stores. Initially, the
Frimax Foods operates a 12 000m² high-tech target market was concentrated only in KwaZulu-
processing plant in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. Products Natal. However, today Frimax Foods caters for snack
manufactured include potato chips, corn chips, maize consumers nationwide. Hence, many communities
puffs and nax. in South Africa, who may not have been exposed
to the luxury of tasting a potato chip, have had the
Mr. Essa entered an industry in which he had opportunity of giving themselves, their families and
little knowledge or experience. However, he has especially their children, a daily treat.
successfully steered his ship through previously
unchartered, and at many times, stormy waters. The The company employs 480 staff at its factory and
company began its operation during a period of distribution centres throughout the country and
instability and relative uncertainty in the country, and supplies national supermarket chains such as Shoprite
economic conditions were extremely unstable. Checkers and Massmart as well as independent shops.
Frimax runs its own distribution warehouses in Cape
For a person of Indian heritage, starting and investing Town, Johannesburg, Pietersberg and Port Elizabeth.
in a business at this time was considered extremely
risky. However, Mr Haroon Essa had a vision that was Frimax Foods now exports 10% of its production
ahead of his time. He intelligently identified a gap in across the SADC region to Zimbabwe, Mozambique,
the snack market, put his shoulder to the wheel, so to Swaziland and Lesotho. Frimax Foods concentrates
speak, and due to his ambitious character, and never- more on Africa for crisps, because it is a lightweight
give-up attitude, he ensured that the company got off product and low value in the container and it is
the ground, and continued its upward climb to success. regionally based.
His sons, Abdool Kader (Baboo), Shamir and Faizel The business is currently focused on growing its
Essa both started out on the factory floor as teenagers market share domestically and in the SADC region,
after school and joined the firm as young men – although there is a possibility it could expand further
supervising the dispatch of goods and loading on in future. Frimax Foods has embraced the concept of
to trucks, reading consumer mail and assessing call continuous improvement within its production facility,
logs, even working as machinery operators and frying and constantly strives to increase product quality,
potatoes. whilst at the same time reducing overhead costs.
As Baboo, Shamir and Faizel took their respective The company endeavours to reduce its carbon foot
directorship positions in the company, together with print on all levels. As far as possible, natural gas is
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