“CGC helped me to develop my business through their continuous advice. Because of them, I obtained a packaging grant from KPDNHEP, was introduced to Amaxmall e-commerce platform and am on AirAsia’s rokki.com.”

Even when Surinder Kaur was working as a director for almost twelve years in a US semi-conductor manufacturing plant, she knew she was meant to be an entrepreneur. “For me, entrepreneurship is an extension of your creativity,” she declares. “You are born with it.” Although business is very challenging, she thrives on it. Her creativity stretched, she constantly learns and is never bored or stressed. “Don’t they say passion is loving what you do?”

For the last nine years the Business Administration graduate has been manufacturing items based on coconut water. With considerable R&D and prototypes, she has developed canned coconut water, flavoured coconut water powder for children, hotpot broth bases and anti-ageing face masks. “I am ready with the products, just waiting for the right clients to expand my business, or the right funds to launch them myself.”

As part of the CGC Development Programme™ she has attended Market Access preparatory courses and participated in CAEXPO 2019 in Nanning. In the Chinese market she was able to test her products, receiving very good feedback from distributors and consumers. She signed a five-year MoU with a Chinese distributor, too.

While she used her initial BizWanita-i financing in 2018 as capital for raw materials, her strong relationship with CGC has gone beyond financial aid. She will always appreciate their belief in her: “CGC has helped me to develop my business through their continuous advice,” she attests. Because of them, I obtained a packaging grant from Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP), was introduced to Amaxmall e-commerce platform and am on AirAsia’s rokki.com.”

Undeterred by the Covid-19 crisis, Surinder strongly believes, “my products have enormous potential, as long as I come up with more creative ideas to promote and market them.” Before the pandemic, 80% of her business focussed on export, manufacturing and large orders, with the remaining 20% on retail. She asserts: “I’ll have to switch the percentages around and become more involved in the digital e-commerce business.”

7/19