Follow the journey which took a business from humble beginnings, with a single product and a man with a single-minded vision, to one of Sub Saharan Africa’s largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturing groups. Trade Kings founder, Mr. Patel, a Zambian businessman with unwavering ambition, relied on his drive, determination, ingenuity, and intimate knowledge of the needs of the community around him to achieve what many thought impossible. From a single brand, single product business Trade Kings Group has expanded into ten neighboring countries, seven subsidiary businesses and manufactures a diverse portfolio of high-quality products ranging from laundry detergents and cleaning products to food, beverages and even steel. Mr. Patel spent his childhood in the village of Mugubudu, Chipata, Eastern Province, later moving to Lusaka. As an adolescent, resourceful and adventurous, the desire to be enterprising came to him naturally. Over weekends, he sourced household provisions from local stores in Lusaka, which he would sell while driving down to Chipata. Years later, armed with meagre capital, he boldly acquired a readymade textile trading outfit, followed by a bakery, which was fitted with equipment manufactured locally. During this time wheat flour was in short supply. To ease the strain on the grain, prompted him to initiate, a then virgin concept at that time, of an “out grower’s scheme” with local wheat farmers. The success of the hot bakery ovens led to trading of fast moving consumer goods across Lusaka and later greater Zambia. Mr. Patel’s connection to Zambia and its people, patriotism, passion for supporting local business and shared value was evident even then. This still remains central to the business through our business partnerships and the Trade Kings Foundation.