Fazila serves up more Success with Top Award
Fazila Malek spotted a gap in the market catering for busy Asian families and set up a store offering traditional frozen foods.
Now, 10 years on, her business has expanded from making food at home to a 6,000 square feet factory n the Brittania industrial estate, in Tonge Moor, employing 32 people making up to 50,000 hand-made products a day.
The success of Fazila Foods has been recognised at the Ethnic Minority Business Forum North West Awards, where Mrs Malek won the Entrepreneur of the Year award.
This adds to a clutch of awards, including Business Person of the Year at last year’s Bolton and Bury Business Awards ceremony.
The mother of four knows the pressures on modern families.
Mrs Malek, aged 41, said: “I know what it’s like. I sometimes cook at home and other times I take my own frozen foods home and cook them to save time.”
Her husband, Abdul, is company secretary and uses his IT skills to help the business grow.
He said: “We have had a lot of support from Business Bolton.”
Mrs Malek said her business has been so successful because the products — such as samosas, spring rolls, pasties and halal pizzas — are hand-made and traditionally cooked, using only fresh and authentic ingredients.
“I have also had tremendous support from my family and organisations like Business Bolton and Business Link.”
The company is growing by about 30 per cent every year and turnover this year is £750,000 and hopes to hit £1 million.
Mrs Malek said: “I want Fazila Foods to be a major quality brand which is known throughout the country. Once established in the UK, I want to expand into Europe.”
Source: The Bolton News (Tuesday, 24 March 2009)
