Pauli's Food Company (Pty) Ltd
What does your company do?
We make healthy, artisanal sauces for the restaurant and retail trade. We support local farmers in our community. We started our company with 1 employee and 2 sauces, and now we produce over 20 different variations of sauces and employ 10 wonderful people. 4 of our team members had no work experience prior to joining our company and are now trained cooks. We make everything with love, integrity and the best of South African ingredients.
What is your biggest success?
Growing our company from our kitchen at home, to now working out of a Food Accredited kitchen. Creating a safe, happy work space for our amazing team. Our company tagline is 'On Everyone's Lips' and when I think about all the restaurants and customers we supply across South Africa and into Africa, I am so proud that our sauces are 'on everyone's lips'. Our biggest success as a company is the healthy and delicious sauces we create, produce and distribute daily to our fantastic customers. I grew up on a farm in the Eastern Cape, and I know how much hard work and love goes into farming. To be able to support emerging farmers in South Africa makes me proud every day. I am so grateful to work with my team - my extended family.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
My first biggest hurdle was stepping into a sales role which is not my natural environment. I am an accountant and business consultant by trade. Secondly, driving around, before we could afford to hire a dedicated driver - racing to deliver our sauces myself and juggling fetching the kids from school, attending their sports matches and running a business. My desire to be an available Mom, Wife and Friend was a challenge. But through perseverance and bravery, and taking a leap of faith to hire a driver - I have been able to grow our brand (with the help of my husband, Paul and our amazing team). I suppose my biggest hurdle has always been myself, thinking 'I can do it all' instead of trusting others to help me with the day-to-day running of the business.
