Having started small, Ntake group has grown into an impressive organisation with a finger in almost every pie. Endeavour Magazine spoke to Lule Gaster, founder and CEO in a bid to discover the secret to his sweet success.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

RISING EXPECTATIONS

www.littlegatepublishing.com

NTAKE GROUP

00256 772727127 WWW.NTAKEGROUP.COM

“We have developed our food industry from a 2kgs of wheat flour a day operation up to approximately 25 metric tons of wheat flour

a day. This is in addition to all of our other products and services that we also now offer.”

This magnificent ‘rise’ to the top of the industry is not through chance, but rather, hard work, gradual expansion and a clear understanding of the needs and wants of consumers. Beginning with a skeleton crew of just five employees, the company slogan of “Quality First Before Quantity” could not have been more apt. As word spread about the delicious cakes on offer, orders became difficult to fulfill, leading to a necessary change in premises and expansion of both workforce and product ranges.

“Between 1984 and 1987, we relocated and changed from baking cakes only to become a full bakery, though still on a relatively small scale with about 15 employees.

Between 1988 and 1995, the bakery kept growing bigger and needed a lot of supervision, so we decided to start a new line of business to safeguard our income in case the bakery had problems; we chose real estate development because it requires minimum supervision. Our foresight proved correct, as in that period there were problems with the supply of raw materials, mainly quality wheat flour, sugar and baking fat.”

Already diversifying, thanks to its foray into real estate, Ntake identified an opportunity for further expansion, which would cut out

NTAKE GROUP

Despite large-scale ambition, Lule Gaster and his wife, Edith. N. Lule, recognised the importance of starting small. In response to an identifiable need for a professional bakery set-up in Uganda, Ntake Bakery Company Limited was founded in 1978, with a view to baking and supplying breakfast cakes. With two years of solid success under their belts, Gaster and his wife decided to branch out into bread production, which has seen the organisation grow exponentially.

Snacks packagingBiscuit packagingBread packaging

Sweets packagingMilk & yoghurt

packagingTea & coffee packaging

Pouch packaging

Spices packagingContainer labels

Shrink film wrappingWoven sacks

Soap & detergent packaging

Film packagingGarbage bagsLaundry bags

Cordoning tapeToilet paper packaging

Shopping bagsDump proof sheetsMedical waste bags

Courier and examination pouches

Kampala Office:Plot 5, Nakivubo Rd

Level 4 Shop 163Tel: +256-414-257748

Factory:Plot 375, Kawempe,Kalerwe-Ttula Road.

Tel: +256-414 566665Fax: +256-414 567006

info@luukaplastics.comhttp://luukaplastics.com

the middleman and allow for a guaranteed supply of the high quality ingredients that they demanded. Having imported the wheat flour used in its products for years, Ntake realised that the tax levied was effectively pricing them out of competition in the local arena, with many bakers opting for regionally milled flour. There was only one solution; milling flour in-house.

“We went into wheat flour milling in 1997 with a 50 metric tons a day production plan. Our existing slogan was still relevant however and with the quality of the wheat flour being produced being regarded as so good from that 50 metric ton mill, we could not cope with the demand from both our bakery and independent customers in need of quality wheat flour. We acquired a 200 metric ton mill from Buhler in 1999 and currently, we are installing a 300 metric ton machine, though that will incur high electricity costs, something we are keen to alleviate.”

From a modest team of five, Ntake has grown its bakery interests at a staggering rate, but far from being willing to take this good fortune for granted, the group has diversified into a number of surprising outlets,

“We have ventured into new industries, such as the production of household paper products including toilet paper and table napkins.

NTAKE GROUP

We are also involved with mineral water (Delta) and our real estate business is still growing. From having so few employees in 1981, we currently employ over 500 individuals throughout our three bakery branches and other business interests.”

Far from being a faceless management team however, Gaster talks fondly of his employees, all of whom he trusts to uphold the values and quality of the group,

“Because there are no educational institutions for the baking industry here, we train most of our bakery production staff and we rely on them to produce the quality bakery products. We have one miller with a lot of experience, backed up by six others, of which three have received professional training from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. I am also particularly proud to have my four children as members of the staff.”

Perhaps it is this family aesthetic that has kept Ntake so grounded, despite amazing success. Far from shirking the slogan of old, the company has stood by it, proud to put quality ahead of quantity for over 30 years in a bid to always put customer satisfaction first. Speaking about client relations, Gaster notes that quality has to be the main focus at every stage of production,

“We always focus, work for and try our best to maintain or improve the quality of our products. One of the best ways I have found to do this is to keep control of raw materials that I purchase myself, with one of my sons overseeing the production process.”

No sitting in a lofty office for this management structure; everybody has a part to play in the continued success and development of the company and the inclusion of many generations of family is pleasantly mirrored by consumers,

“The good thing about our client base is that some 20

years ago, I had customers who were students in secondary school that I used to supply with quality products. They are now done with school and even have children but are still very satisfied with our products and continue to buy them.”

With a solid consumer base already in place, the development of a dedicated Sales and marketing division could seem somewhat frivolous, but Gaster explains that they are in position for one purpose; to continue looking after the customers’ needs.

Describing itself as a “young and dynamic company synonymous with

NTAKE GROUP

Holbud LimitedProud to be

working with Ntake Group

Holbud LimitedProud to be

working with Ntake Group

66 Leman Street, London. E1 8EU, UKTEL: +44 207 4884901 FAX: +44 207 2650654

EMAIL: holbud@holbud.co.uk

professionalism, integrity, innovation and entrepreneurial flair”, it stands to reason that there are more exciting developments being cooked up by the visionary team at Ntake and they do not disappoint.

“We are always thinking of new products and opportunities. Currently, we are putting up a new 300 metric ton twin wheat mill from Buhler A.G, Switzerland. We are also in the final stage of gaining council approval for an 18 floor commercial Building in Kampala Business Centre. Finally, we are planning to open a new bakery branch in Jinja Town. All these investments will be fulfilled with the help of Standard Chartered Bank and our company assets. On completion, employment opportunities for our country will be greatly increased.”

Far from forgetting its modest start, Ntake has proven itself to be a large company with the conscientiousness, dedication and care of a far smaller operation. Never straying from its mantra of quality over quantity, consumers, suppliers and employees alike can all rest easy that Ntake is here to stay.

“ We always focus, work for and try our best to maintain or improve the quality of our products. One of the best ways I have found to do this is to keep control of raw materials that I purchase myself, with one of my sons overseeing the production process.”