NEWS BREAKFAST
EST Breakfast 2021
EST held its annual breakfast at the Johannesburg Country Club with keynote speakers providing an in-depth look at the current state of the local market.
Ashraf Garda (right) in conversation with Louis Greeff, EST managing director.
Rob Suttle.
JP Landman.
EST head office.
E
ach year, EST Building and Hardware
of the group in the FMCG market. All businesses
hosts its prestigious breakfast and
within Temblor Trading – trading as EST
as always, the EST breakfast was an
Building and Hardware operate as independent
interesting affair. The invitation lists
owner-managed organisations, where members
included retailers, suppliers, business interests and
have access to a voluntary portion of a 50%
members of the media.
shareholding in Temblor Trading. Dividends are
It is at this event that EST gets to share its
paid to members based on its contribution to
past results, future ambitions and hopes for the
annual purchases from preferred suppliers.
Mohamed Varachia, Qaanita Hunter and Louis Greeff.
company, its suppliers, retailers, and the country.
The Master of Ceremonies was none other than
Since 2007, EST, a co-operative buying group is
news personality and Brand South Africa’s, Ashraf
R50bn. Piecing together the full story, journalists
empowering small and independent FMCG retailers.
Garda. With his contagious wit, he kept the crowd
Qaanitah Hunter, Jeff Wicks and Kaveel Singh sifted
entertained and focused. After an entertaining
through hundreds of pages of leaked documents
increased turnover within the current member
opening address by Garda, guests were encouraged
and intelligence briefs. It is a riveting first-hand
base, as well as expansion of the member
to participate with applause and social media
account of what really happened, reported from the
footprint, enhanced warehousing, distribution
tagging, before the stage was given to Rob Suttle,
epicentre of the chaos.
and re-distribution capabilities, targeted regional
EST merchandising director, who outlined the
The EST strategy for growth emphasises
Qaanitah’s story, however riveting was a sobering
ranging and specialist category expansion,
phenomenal performance of the hardware industry
account of the current state of affairs in the country
developing a consummate customer understanding
during lockdown. But he warned of a slowdown from
and to some agree disturbing.
and enhanced customer communication, both at
August onwards. He shared the group’s impressive
group and member level.
sales and supplier figures and its successful
JP Landman painted a much rosier future for
expansion into Malawi and Mozambique.
the country in his address. Just as interesting, he
The groups’ focus remains on using its buying power to achieve best-in-class trading terms to
The two keynote speakers on the day were
However, well known political and trend analyst,
dissected the ‘behind the scene’ work in progress
optimise profitability both for itself and its member
News 24’s political journalist Qaanitah Hunter.
by President Ramaphosa and allies to turn the
base. In addition, a relentless drive to increase
Qaanitah is also a recognised current affairs author
current state of affairs around and put South Africa
sales in sub-Saharan Africa is a primary pillar of
and her most recent book (co-authored), Eight
on a path back to recovery. He said, South Africa is
the group’s expansion strategy, with the Elite Star
days in July has just been published. In her address,
a country that frequently explodes, but somehow
member base firmly focused on the African market,
specifically focused on her book, in July 2021,
manages to always get back up again.”
based primarily on the development of member
with Jacob Zuma’s imprisonment, dramatic and
The last words were saved for Louis Greeff, EST
violent scenes of unrest and looting unfolded in
managing director who covered EST’s growth since
KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. More than 340 people
its infant years until today and what the future
lost their lives, and the damage exceeded
holds for the company and its shareholders.
export capabilities. The Hardware and Building Supplies division was established in 2012, following the success
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