Mumbai Spices Sees Success with Help of GEP Youth Fund

Sameera Rasool’s Mumbai Spices is a unique venture that fuses tradition and modern technology to create the perfect spice. Based in Kempton Park, they bring the finest spices from around the globe, preserving their original flavour, scent, and texture. They also provide custom milling and blending services, enabling customers to create tailored combinations that suit their palate.

“I come from a logistic and business management background, worked in the corporate and the government sector for a bit, then started Mumbai Spices. In the time that I was with my mother in business, I had the privilege of learning extensively about the industry,” said Sameera.

“We have built up very good working relationships with multiple suppliers overseas and thus am able to source goods at very competitive prices to enable Mumbai Spices to be a more than capable and respected player in the local industry.”

The business was facing a range of challenges and needed assistance to expand its operations. To that end, the GEP Youth Fund provided the necessary funding to purchase a truck and an electric-powered forklift. This was beneficial to the business in multiple ways, as it enabled them to increase their storage capacity, move and load stock more efficiently, and carry larger loads during client deliveries.

“I understood the role that an organization like the GEP could play in the advancement and development of my business. With that being said, it meant that I could unlock and secure funding in order to grow the business and allow us to service a larger sector of the local industry.”

The business has seen a surge in success with the help of GEP, surpassing its half-year revenue target a month early. It has saved costs, allowing it to procure more stock and grow its clientele. This resulted in the need for an expansion of operations, leading to the recruitment of new employees. 

“The impact was immediate in that we have our own forklift to load and offload containers and the truck can service more customers in a day whereas previously we had to make do with a 1t delivery vehicle. We employed more than 10 people and we have outgrown our existing building and are looking to purchase our own warehouse shortly.”