"This is
my performance after 30 years involve business, the fact that i started from
zero (empty)," said Datuk Yusuf Taiyoob briefly when he invites the metro
reporter and photographer into his new office space in industrial area Bukit
Minyak, Seberang Prai central, Penang.
The Interesting one is, the factory complex located in strategic
location which is the adjacent of north south highway. So that the driver will
not miss seeing the building with liquid light brown name Yusuf Taiyoob
plastered in one corner.
Yusuf Taiyoob name
is not longer in our countries because it often associated with dates,
especially if heared name like Mafia, Wasem, Safina, Amina, Ajmal, Ajwa and
Honey Yuta dates. So it was not too
extreme called if he was called ‘ Raja
Kurma Malaysia'. He also said that the president of penang, Tun Abdul
Rahman Abbas, ever call him ‘Datuk Kurma’.
Nowadays, his
company, Yusuf Taiyoob sdn.bhd (yusuf taiyoob) becom the largest suppliers of
various dates and raw food products from wet and dry for overseas market in
malaysia with approximately 3,000 distributor network throughout the country.
Yusuf adhere to the principle in his life that he was not
like to work with others or employee but rather called himself bos even he need
to be through the difficulties and bitter experience.
"I had face many difficulties in my first business which
is selling perfume. At that time, my aged
is 21 years old and everyone never look at my eefort at all, but i was blessed because i had receive my family assistance.
"It made me realize that if we had no interest or from
small companies, people will underestimated us" said the father of three
children. Yusuf who still looking young and energy although his age had reached
of 50 years say, after he failed in his
first business that is selling perfume, he was trying many other business,
including distributes saffron products, cashew nuts, dry food and
spices. Then he was looking for a new kind of business, even aware of the
difficulties need to be face up until he become the biggest suppliers of dates
in Malaysia. Although he realize that the
existence of competition in dates industries is high in 1990, he still believe
in existing customers with reasonable price offer by his company and the guarantee
of his products quality.
According to
yusuf, the most important thing is, one need to know they ability to compete in
business challenges and must realizes that sometimes competitors can make
anything in their business. In his aim to ensure that his product are
guaranteed quality and fresh, he spend about RM5 million to use the latest
technology to conduct research in store freezer. The technology was imported from the united states that allow any
gas leak ammonia can be detected early. System that can provide early warning
automatic case of leak.
Now, the complex
have six cold store store that can
include 7,000 tan one-two one time and dry storage store for 3,000 tan item. The
company currently import between 200 to 300 of various foods of the dates,
olive oil, soya dhal of spices up to approximately 30 countries, among them
america
company, Iran, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and North Africa.
To ensure that the Dates stock can full fill the market
demand, yusuf ordering and stocking the three months earlier and only once over
the festive season, he started to welcome ramadan order stock next year.
Telling his story at
the early of his involvement in dates business,
he had faced the first challenge in his business when the two container (40 tan) dates imported from iran are in bad
condition, but he does not panic to faced with the problem. Yusuf had go to the
iran to meet the dates producers to make sure that the problem will be not faced
again for the second time.
He says, his companies
take between 10 to 12 years for top become a well known supplier in this
country. In addition, his dates product also exposed to the market in
indonesia, singapore, thailand and brunei. At this time,his companies distribute over 10 types distribute dates as Protab Bam, Safi,
Mariam, Safina, Ajwa, Jewel, Anbar Ajmal and sold at reasonable Prices.
Dates have
three stages of khalal (young dates), Protab (honey dates) and Tham (dry dates)
from Tunisia, Oman, Iran, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan."In process of selling the dates, we need to make a
good branding and packaging. When there is a brand, product are well known by
the customers before they buy it. In addition, i was emphasize about the
quality of our product because customer satisfaction is our priority. I also
gives assurance to my customers that if
the dates purchased are damaged, it can be replaced with other dates," said
Yusuf that can be considered as one of the largest food products suppliers in
asia's because most products was imported from more than 30 countries. Eventhough
he was busy managing his business, he never forget to provide assistance to the
one who less fortunate.
0 comments:
Post a Comment