Partnerships and insights take centre stage at Elite Star Trading breakfast

Elite Star Trading (EST) hosted its highly anticipated annual year-end Supplier Breakfast at Emperors Palace in December 2024, gathering key stakeholders from its Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Hardware divisions.

During the event, EST celebrated a year of resilience and growth, expressed gratitude to suppliers, and offered valuable insights into the company’s future direction.

Master of Ceremonies, Mohamed Varachia, set the tone for the morning with a warm and engaging welcome, introducing a lineup of thought-provoking speakers who reflected on the year’s successes and challenges while casting a vision for 2025.

Business updates: EST’s continued growth

Brian Williams and Rob Suttle, executives for the FMCG and Hardware divisions respectively, delivered an insightful overview of their divisions:

o Brian Williams (FMCG Division): EST’s food division, launched in 2007, operates on a flat structure designed to empower and support smaller stores, enabling them to compete effectively with major retail chains. Boasting a network of 408 stores, the division has achieved consistent annual growth and continues to strengthen its footprint across the market.

o Rob Suttle (Hardware Division): Celebrating its 12th year since inception in 2012, EST Hardware membership has grown to an impressive 1 256 stores. Its innovative structure benefits members equally and the model helps independent retailers remain competitive. Despite industry economic challenges in 2023, the division rebounded with encouraging growth in 2024, positioning itself optimistically for 2025, which Suttle has dubbed “The Year of Hardware.”

Building together with Gift of the Givers

Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, captivated the audience with moving stories about the power of compassion and collaboration, making a statement with the quote: “We are stronger together if we do not forget the poor.”

From responding to global disasters such as tornadoes and fires to addressing grassroots issues in South Africa, Sooliman shared how small acts of kindness can create significant ripples of impact. He recounted the story of a Mossel Bay resident who rediscovered hope after a personal tragedy, thanks to Gift of the Givers’ inclusive efforts. Another story highlighted their drought relief initiative, which provided boreholes, feed for livestock, and food parcels for farmworkers and owners – an ongoing initiative which the organisation has spent about R100-million on since 2017 to date.

With 175 feeding centres nationally and countless boreholes established to mitigate water shortages, Sooliman illustrated how meaningful collaboration can transform lives. He urged suppliers to support these efforts through donations or preferential pricing and left the audience with a profound message: “You can only sleep in one bed and drive one car at a time – share what you have.”

EST reinforced its commitment to humanitarian causes by announcing a generous R6 million donation to Gift of the Givers.

EST Breakfast DIY News 2025
IMTIAZ SOOLIMAN, BRIAN WILLIAMS, STEPHEN GROOTES, JAMIE MIGHTI, LOUIS GREEFF, ROB SUTTLE – PRESENTERS

Why independents thrive

Jamie Mighti, an acclaimed analyst and speaker, celebrated the role of independent retailers in driving South Africa’s economy. Drawing comparisons to corporate giants like Pick n Pay, which in December, listed Boxer as a standalone entity to compete in informal settlements, Mighti underscored the success of EST’s model over its 17-year journey.

Mighti emphasised that thriving in the informal sector requires understanding nuances that ‘ivory tower’ corporates often overlook. He attributed EST’s success to three key principles:

  • Connection: Understanding local community needs, such as selling half loaves of bread or single eggs
  • Compassion: Building trust through relationships, offering customers flexibility, such as deferred payment options
  • Creativity: Supporting innovative products overlooked by larger retailers, fostering innovation in underserved markets.

These principles have enabled EST’s independent retailers to consistently outperform their larger competitors, even in challenging conditions.

‘Stuck in the Middle with GNU’

Political correspondent Stephen Grootes offered a sharp analysis of South Africa’s political landscape. He discussed the implications of the recent elections and the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU). Grootes explored how the shifting political climate could impact businesses and communities, encouraging attendees to remain informed and adaptable in the face of uncertainty.

Closing remarks

Louis Greeff, CEO of EST, brought the event to a close with heartfelt thanks to the speakers, suppliers, and attendees. He reaffirmed EST’s dedication to empowering independent retailers, fostering growth, and building strong partnerships across both the FMCG and Hardware sectors.

The breakfast was a powerful demonstration of EST’s commitment to community, innovation, and shared success, leaving attendees inspired and energised for the year ahead.

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