Successful Entrepreneur : Datuk Yusuf Taiyoob

PROFILE

Name: Datuk Yusuf Taiyoob

Position: Managing Director of Yusuf Taiyoob Sdn. Bhd.

From: Georgetown, Pulau Pinang

Siblings: First son from four siblings

I have choose this entrepreneur because he just start the business and become an entrepreneur from nothing. "This is my achievement after 30 years when involve in the business, and I started from zero (blank)," said Datuk Yusuf Taiyoob briefly.

The factory is located in a strategic location that is adjacent to the North South Highway, thus thousands of drivers can see the building, brown liquid with his name showYusuf Taiyoob large in the corner. Nowadays, Yusuf Taiyoob name is not strange in this country because associated with a date. There a lot name of the date which are Safia, Wasem, Safina, Amina, Ajmal, Ajwa and Kurma Madu Million. Now his company, Yusuf Taiyoob Sdn Bhd (Yusuf Taiyoob) became the largest supplier of various types of date and raw product dry and wet food from abroad for the Malaysian market with approximately 3,000 dealer network across the country.

The main principle in his life is that he does not like working with other people or to be a workers but  he prefers to be the boss even he had to go through many difficulties and bitter experiences. "I faced a lot of difficulties in my first business of selling perfumes. At that time I was 21 years old and there is no other people looked at me, but I'm grateful to have a family support." Yusuf, who still looks young and energetic despite reaching the age of 50 years, said that after failing in the perfume business, he tried various other businesses, including product distribution saffron flower, cashew nuts, dried foods and spices. He then search a new business, although he aware of the difficulties until he thought to be a date supplier in this country. While realizing there is competition in the business start date in 1990, he believed that existing regular customers, as well as competitive prices, with a guarantee of quality products. What is important, according to Yusuf, one needs to know the extent to which their ability to compete in a challenging business and meander though aware sometimes willing to make any competitors in their business.

In order to make sure all products are guaranteed quality and fresh, he spent about RM5 million to use the latest technology in controlling the freezing cold storages. Technology imported from the United States that allow any leakage of ammonia gas can be detected early. The system is able to automatically provide early warning in case of leakage.When this factory has six cold storage warehouse that can accommodate about 7,000 tonnes of goods one time and two dry storage for approximately 3,000 tonnes of goods.

The company currently imports between 200 to 300 different types of food from the palm fruit, olive oil until the spices from around 30 countries, including the United

States, Iran, Dubai, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. To ensure the date the stock is able to meet the market demand, Yusuf ordering and stocking concerned three months in advance and as soon as the festive season is over, he began ordering stock for celebrating Ramadan next year.

Recounts the early history of involvement in the business date, he had to face the first challenge when two containers (40 tons) of dates imported from Iran is not quite lovely, but he did not panic.

This led him to go to Iran to meet with producers of date for avoid to face the same problem in the future. He said his company takes between 10 to 12 years to be recognized as the supplier of date in this country. At this time the company distributes more than 10 varieties of dates such as Protab Bam, Safia, Mariami, Safina, Ajwa, Jewel, Ajmal and Anbar are sold at affordable prices.

"In selling date, we need to create the branding and packaging techniques lovely. When there is a brand, people easily recognize the product before buying it, but I pay attention to quality as our priority is customer satisfaction. "I also assure the customer, date damaged can be replaced with another date," he said, which can be considered as one of the largest importers of food products in the Asian region because most of the products imported from over 30 countries.

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