KZN Future 50 - Powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio!
East Coast Radio - Catch Up
102 episodes
3 days ago
East Coast Breakfast, in collaboration with business growth specialist Pavlo Phitidis, is once again celebrating the brilliance of local businesses with the second season of the KZN Future 50, proudly powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Listen on-air to the KZN Future 50 every Tuesday at 8:10am, or catch the podcast here, and be inspired by host Pavlo Phitidis as he puts a local business in the spotlight.
Local business owners are the cornerstone of growth and prosperity in KZN. Their determination to succeed against the odds strengthens our communities, our province, and the global market.
East Coast Breakfast and Pavlo Phitidis are ready to spotlight those who excel through the KZN Future 50 campaign, now powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Each week, we'll profile a business that exemplifies forward-thinking growth, demonstrating how their success paves the way for a brighter future.
Whether your growth goal is to gain more customers, secure funding, find a key supplier, hire a specialist employee, access valuable information, or get listed with a retailer, Pavlo will connect you with the right opportunities and resources.
Powered by FNB Business, the help behind over 1 million unstoppable businesses.
*** FNB supports local businesses and has been recognised as the Best SME Bank in South Africa by the Global Finance Awards for three consecutive years, including 2022, 2023 and 2024.
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East Coast Breakfast, in collaboration with business growth specialist Pavlo Phitidis, is once again celebrating the brilliance of local businesses with the second season of the KZN Future 50, proudly powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Listen on-air to the KZN Future 50 every Tuesday at 8:10am, or catch the podcast here, and be inspired by host Pavlo Phitidis as he puts a local business in the spotlight.
Local business owners are the cornerstone of growth and prosperity in KZN. Their determination to succeed against the odds strengthens our communities, our province, and the global market.
East Coast Breakfast and Pavlo Phitidis are ready to spotlight those who excel through the KZN Future 50 campaign, now powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Each week, we'll profile a business that exemplifies forward-thinking growth, demonstrating how their success paves the way for a brighter future.
Whether your growth goal is to gain more customers, secure funding, find a key supplier, hire a specialist employee, access valuable information, or get listed with a retailer, Pavlo will connect you with the right opportunities and resources.
Powered by FNB Business, the help behind over 1 million unstoppable businesses.
*** FNB supports local businesses and has been recognised as the Best SME Bank in South Africa by the Global Finance Awards for three consecutive years, including 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Pinetown Diff and Gearbox, based in New Germany, KwaZulu-Natal, has been specialising in differential and gearbox repairs for cars and trucks since 2008. The business was founded by Nadeera Ramharakh, who currently heads up the company, bringing her technical experience and leadership to every aspect of the workshop.
Before establishing the business, Nadeera had built a strong career in workshop leadership and operations, while her co-founder Nash had over two decades of experience as an artisan in the automotive sector. Together, they created a workshop where hands-on service, reliable workmanship, and a respectful team environment could be prioritised
Luminex Technologies is a KwaZulu-Natal-based LED screen solutions company Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic by Ashveer Ramdheen and Simeon Kistensamy. Their journey began when both founders faced challenges sourcing reliable LED displays, encountering poor service and limited after-sales support from existing suppliers. Recognising an opportunity to address this gap, they set out to establish a company focused on quality products and dependable customer care.
What began as a modest garden supply business in Durban in 1980 has developed into a trusted name in horticulture across KwaZulu-Natal. Grovida was established by Vincent Lourenco Snr out of a passion for gardening and a desire to provide reliable, quality products to both home gardeners and the wider agricultural sector. In its early days, the business offered just three items—compost, potting soil and kraal manure.
BTL Engineering & Project Management, a KwaZulu-Natal-based business founded and headed up by Andrew Cunningham, has grown from modest beginnings into a specialist in structural steel fabrication and installations. The company’s work underpins essential infrastructure, from bridges and industrial facilities to commercial buildings across the province.
Africa Alternate Energy Solutions (AAES), an independent KwaZulu-Natal-based business headed up by Muhammed Suleman, was established out of a growing interest in renewable energy and a drive to make sustainable power more accessible to South African businesses. What began as a technical passion soon developed into a full-scale operation offering long-term energy solutions tailored to local needs.
Akili Timber, a sawmill based in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Richmond, is steadily building a name for itself in South Africa’s timber industry. The business processes raw logs into planks, poles, and custom timber products, serving clients across various sectors. Located just one hour from Durban Harbour, Akili Timber is well placed to deliver quick turnaround times and reliable service to its growing customer base.
In the latest KZN Future 50 feature on East Coast Radio, powered by FNB Business, the focus turned to something many local business owners are quietly facing — burnout.
Business strategist Pavlo Phitidis spoke candidly about what he’s seeing across the country: entrepreneurs who haven’t given up, but who are simply exhausted. Years of pushing through COVID, load-shedding, water cuts, red tape, and rising costs have taken their toll. And while the challenges keep coming, many business owners are still showing up, keeping the doors open, and keeping people employed.
The Gold Bar, a proudly South African business headed up by Sholain Perumal, has grown from experience earned on the ground to a steadily expanding network of gold recycling stores in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Today, it operates from six locations in leading shopping centres, offering customers a secure, transparent, and accessible way to exchange their old, broken or unwanted gold jewellery for cash.
Saikav Foods, under the leadership of Pregasen Francis, specialises in the production of pre-cooked legumes such as split pea dhal, sugar beans, and chickpeas. Since being featured on KZN Future 50, the business has secured a retail listing with Food Lover’s Market, significantly increasing its product visibility and access to consumers. In addition, Saikav Foods has entered into discussions with Makro and is developing a new heat-and-eat product range aimed at meeting demand for convenient, healthier food options.
AV Company, headed up by Craig Browning, has continued to play a key role behind the scenes in South Africa’s events industry. Known for delivering lighting, video, live streaming, staging, and event technology for concerts and large-scale productions, the business built on the momentum of the KZN Future 50 spotlight to grow its presence. Since then, the team has expanded operations into Johannesburg, positioning the business within a significant events market.
Bedrock Group, a specialist concrete construction business based in Westmead, Durban, has become a leading name in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. Founded and led by David and Greg Kitching, the company has built its reputation on innovation, precision, and a commitment to quality in the niche sectors of tilt-up and pre-cast concrete construction.
After being highlighted in the KZN Future 50, Energywise Systems has focused on strengthening its internal strategy to better position the business for long-term growth. The company specialises in energy-efficient lighting solutions that help commercial, and retail clients reduce electricity consumption while also improving lighting design for productivity and sales performance.
Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, FleetCam SA has continued to focus on improving safety on South Africa’s roads. The company specialises in vehicle camera systems and telematics that use artificial intelligence to monitor driver behaviour and detect fatigue. A 24/7 command centre is on hand to respond to alerts, helping fleet operators take action when drivers require support or further training.
Hall’s Retail, a proudly family-run business in Pietermaritzburg, has steadily grown over the past three decades from a small adhesive supplier into a trusted name in industrial coatings and chemical solutions across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. But its success didn’t happen overnight—it’s a story of perseverance, innovation, and a strong belief in doing things properly.
Need A Tool, a well-known family-run business in KwaZulu-Natal, began with a practical idea: provide good-quality equipment to people who need to get things done. Founded in 1986 by the late Bob Moore — a respected figure in the tool hire industry and one of the founding members of the Contractors Plant Hire Association (CPHA) — the business has become a trusted name for equipment hire in the province.
The KZN Future 50, powered by FNB Business in partnership with East Coast Radio, highlights businesses that are helping shape KwaZulu-Natal’s economic landscape. The initiative offers more than just airtime — it serves as a launchpad for small and medium-sized businesses to grow their visibility, customer base, and market reach. Many featured businesses have reported tangible benefits, including increased sales, improved operational efficiency, and access to new markets across provinces and, in some cases, internationally.
Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Papini Trading — founded and headed up by Rasheed Patel — has refined its approach to strategic marketing. The business, which supplies curtain fabrics and accessories to independent window dressing fabricators, has used the exposure to increase brand visibility and improve customer engagement. This shift has enabled the team to connect more effectively not only with their direct clients but also with their clients’ end-users, resulting in smarter, more purposeful growth.
La Vita Spas and Hair Studios, based in KwaZulu-Natal, has grown into one of South Africa’s recognised names in wellness, beauty and self-care. The business began in 2002 when Rioma Cominelli opened the first branch in Musgrave under the name Cellu-Beauty. Her brother, Valerio Cominelli, later joined her to help grow the brand. Together, they laid the foundation for a national network of spas focused on accessible wellness and personal care.
Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Food Sock—run by Mike Nel—has continued to grow its footprint across KwaZulu-Natal and further afield. The business produces affordable, long shelf-life meal packs that can feed a family for around R10, making a real difference in areas where access to nutritious food is limited.
Over the past year, Food Sock has grown its sales by 10%, despite tough economic conditions, and has started working more closely with church networks to reach more people in rural communities.
Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Livecopper—founded by Alf Allingham and Andrew Davies—has continued to grow its presence as an online retailer of electrical and lighting products. Based in KwaZulu-Natal and serving customers across South Africa, the business has remained focused on making specialist products easily accessible through its e-commerce platform.
The recognition from the Future 50 helped reinforce their commitment to innovation in the digital space.
KZN Future 50 - Powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio!
East Coast Breakfast, in collaboration with business growth specialist Pavlo Phitidis, is once again celebrating the brilliance of local businesses with the second season of the KZN Future 50, proudly powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Listen on-air to the KZN Future 50 every Tuesday at 8:10am, or catch the podcast here, and be inspired by host Pavlo Phitidis as he puts a local business in the spotlight.
Local business owners are the cornerstone of growth and prosperity in KZN. Their determination to succeed against the odds strengthens our communities, our province, and the global market.
East Coast Breakfast and Pavlo Phitidis are ready to spotlight those who excel through the KZN Future 50 campaign, now powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio. Each week, we'll profile a business that exemplifies forward-thinking growth, demonstrating how their success paves the way for a brighter future.
Whether your growth goal is to gain more customers, secure funding, find a key supplier, hire a specialist employee, access valuable information, or get listed with a retailer, Pavlo will connect you with the right opportunities and resources.
Powered by FNB Business, the help behind over 1 million unstoppable businesses.
*** FNB supports local businesses and has been recognised as the Best SME Bank in South Africa by the Global Finance Awards for three consecutive years, including 2022, 2023 and 2024.
