Success is always intriguing. Nevertheless, it is the most overlooked element in life. When successful people inspire us to perform better, we often disregard the sleepless nights and endless efforts they invested in achieving their purpose in life and business.
The fortune, luxury and comfort they own make us believe that some people inherit those privileges. And when it comes to our own life, we find countless excuses. We blame it on our circumstances, scarce resources, lack of money and even others.
Owing to that fact it can be safely said that success is a fascination for many. For the other few, success is a vision. It is those “few” who succeed.
For those of us who wants to play the blame game can always find excuses, blame the circumstances and lead an ordinary life. Or you can strap your boots, break the roof and chase your dreams to live that extraordinary life. No matter how limited or unlimited are your resources, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, inherited or not, you can always build your dreams from absolute nothing.
Shiraz Daud Ozman, Founder of Delta Food Industries shows us beyond doubt that circumstance has nothing to do with our lives. All you need is a right vision and right attitude combined with immense persistence, ambition and hard work.
From a humble beginning to a distinguished businessman who owns the second largest food manufacturing and packaging company in the Middle East, Shiraz Daud Ozman marks an exceptional victory throughout his life. He is the Secretary General of Young Chamber of Commerce (UAE chapter) and is titled with an honorary doctorate degree from the Aldersgate College held at The Atlantis Hotel in Dubai. He has also been bestowed with Global Leadership Award in FMCG, which shows his efficacy and brilliance in the business world.
Delta food industries rose to this phenomenal success within just 5 years, thus affirming the brilliance of this self-made businessman.
Fortune Is Made
Not everyone is blessed with a privileged childhood. Some people are born wealthy and some others earn it against all odds.
Born in Malawi (Central Africa), Shiraz D Ozman had to face financial distresses right from his childhood. At the age of 9, he joined his mother for selling savouries at events and sports centres in the streets of Malawi, so as to support the family coffers. That was the first seeds of entrepreneurship which sprouted inside that little kid. According to Shiraz, this experience improved his mathematical and analytical skills which helped him later to build his own successful empire.
In 1982, he along with his family migrated to the United Kingdom which paved his way to start his meticulous entrepreneurship journey. He initiated his career as an assistant in a garment factory at the age of 16.
People who are passionate about the deepest vision can carve their own way, even when it seems impossible. Shiraz identified the potential of the garment industry. After two years, he started a garment factory partnering with his father and brother and the brand was named Osbro International.
Identifying Opportunities
When it comes to establishing any business empire, finding the right opportunity for an investment play an important role. As a young man, who believed in creating his own destiny, Shiraz owned an explorative mindset of an entrepreneur who always had a keen eye for finding opportunities. It was this mindset that paved him new paths to the future.
It was in 1998, when Shiraz attended a fashion exhibition in Dubai World Trade Centre, where he realized the potential of garment business in Dubai, as well as the skilled labour it offered in comparison to what United Kingdom had offered. Inspired by this newfound knowledge Shiraz took the plunge to launch his first garment shop named Creative Clothing in Sharjah Airport Free Zone.
Finding success
Success does always multiply at the right hands, doesn’t it? Especially when it is the sum of various small efforts and which are repeated day in and day out. Within a period of 6 years, the company which started out within a 600 square meter warehouse and 32 skilled labours expanded to 1000 workers within a 5000 square meters factory.
Creative Clothing is the first garment company in UAE which was approved by British Retail Consortium which manufactured and supplied high quality wearable for the top brands like Top Shop, River Island, C&A, Next and Mark & Spencer.
Rise from the failures
Failures are just temporary setbacks for thought leaders. Entrepreneurship is of no guarantee that all you have to pass is from success to success. When failure is inevitable in the volatile world of business, what matters is how you overcome it.
The recession in 2008, turned out to be a catastrophe for the UK and other countries, which in turn shook Osman’s garment business, thus giving his rival firms a competitive advantage over Creative Clothing. Depreciation of currency by 20 percent and the absence of free trade agreement between UAE and UK and Europe created favourable conditions for his competitors over him.
Ozman knew that fortune is not gained as a straight line of success. Although the chain of such crisis unhinged his business, he was not ready to lay back and watch him fail.
Life of Shiraz D Ozman shows us, that misfortunes can be converted to fortunes if we have the right attitude and ambition to follow our vision. Those 4 years of instability made him realize that it is time to get back to his roots.
In 2012, he met Syed Ali Parpinchi, a skilful entrepreneur who has more than 18 years’ experience in the food industry. They both shared equal amount of passion and zeal for establishing their dreams in the world of Emirates. The two luminaries associated to develop Delta Food Industries.
Delta was born
Demand for healthy and nutritional food is ever growing. The higher the need the tougher is the competition in the food industry. Amidst the numerous competitors and the rising demand for quality food products, Delta has made remarkable success within a time span of just 5 years.
Established in November 2011, Delta Food Industries is a free zone company which started its venture by manufacturing Tomato paste. By mid-2012, they started packaging milk powder and later expanded their line of food products. Now it is the second largest food exporters in UAE, with a sizeable market share in more than 20 countries in GCC, Middle East and Africa.
Along with his business partner Dr. Ali Parpinchi, Mr. Ammar Bilaspurwala and his brother Mr. Hozefa Ibrahim, Shiraz D Ozman launched Delta Royale and Delta Milko which dominates the current food markets of Middle East and Africa.
On March 2016, Delta launched a diary plant in Sharjah Airport Free Zone which can produce a monthly demand of 2,60,000 cartons of evaporated cream and milk. Shiraz is planning to expand its capacity by adding just one steriflow.
The 20 percent stake of Delta is acquired by Rafi Agri Foods which is a leading agri-commodity trading firm based in SAIF Zone and a Canada based Ronald A Chisholm Ltd. They will be supplying agricultural products and raw materials for Delta Food industries, along with sharing their valuable insights about dairy industry.
As an ardent believer of incorporating technology to maximise the quality and profits, Shiraz uses the most modern imported pieces of machinery from Europe and latest manufacturing processes, so as to minimise the production time and overheads.
Now, Delta owns a total production of 4 containers a day for his whole line of products and it exports more than 300 containers a month.
Quality is all about doing it right
The basic frame of any business is to create products or services and sell it to the customers to gain profit. Yet, not all entrepreneurs are successful. When it comes to building a business, quality is often the most overlooked module.
As a man of integrity and core ethics, Shiraz D Ozman regards the quality of the products as the prime concern. If the quality is supreme, sales are bound to increase and thus the company profit.
In Delta Food Industries, quality measures are uncompromising which are implemented in each and every process undertaken, so as to ensure quality and safety of products at all levels.
Customers expect the companies to deliver food products with supreme quality. And for Delta, it is the satisfaction of customers which serves as their best interest. Delta Food Industries follow a strict quality strategy for maintaining nutritional values and shell life of their products. As food is all about health, Delta works closely with Sharjah Municipalities and SAIF-Zone, so as to set the seal on the health by following safety guidelines of local and international bodies.
Delta food products have gained accreditation with recognized quality standards such as ISO 22000, ISO 9000, HACCP and HALAL certification.
“Delta aims for quality production and timely disposition of deliverables, and these are the key factors that establish trust and credibility with our partners and customers”, says Shiraz D Ozman.
Success mantra of Delta
Apart from the supreme quality Delta offers, its success mantra relies upon brilliant strategies formed by Ozman and his multi-skilled team members. While the competitors are focused on marketing their brand label on products, Delta took an entirely different approach. Delta manufactured its goods in private labels, by not marketing the Delta brand on its packaged products. That is the “Unique Selling Point” of Delta Food according to Shiraz D Ozman.
The huge client base of Delta verifies its credibility. Delta has spread its wings across the markets of Comoros, Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Yemen, Kenya, Djibouti, Libya, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and UAE.
Next focused leaps
Delta Foods will soon be seen expanding its product lines to chilli sauce, hot sauce, BBQ sauces, juices, tuna, butter, yogurt and cheese. The products such as canned vegetables, flavoured milk and protein powder can also be expected very soon from Delta.
Not just limited to the production of food products, Delta will soon unfold a dedicated can manufacturing unit in partnership with Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of SAIF Zone, Safdar Khatri and Sharad Anand, CEO of Anand Tin Containers. As Delta Food Industries are expanding their product line, this vertical integration with the production of packing materials will certainly be a fruitful amalgamation. Estimated to have a total build up area of about 5000 square meters, it will be the most advanced packaging unit in UAE with an initial production capacity of 30 million cans per month.
It is expected to meet the complete packaging material needs such as cans, pet bottles and tetra packs for Delta Food Industries. The experience and expertise of Mr Anand in design and technology is an extra edge for Delta.
As a thought leader, Shiraz D Ozman focuses on developing new products to meet the evolving needs of his customers and his ideas are always up with the market trends. The strategic partnership of Delta is sure to open up new marketing opportunities and thus enjoying new levels of success.
Ties with Emirates
The diverse business landscape, numerous free zones and the ease of doing business such as the absence of taxes and low import duties has set UAE as one of the most favoured countries for the expats to set up their business dream.
Shiraz considers UAE as a country of opportunities and his future plans for Delta is mainly centred in UAE. The strategic location of UAE and its market advantage has served a greater lead for Delta. Shiraz has plans to invest 11 million dollars to expand their market in Africa too, with special emphasis on Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Nigeria.
Inspired by success
Various researches done by reputed organisations suggest that a person’s character is influenced by an average of five people one interacts with. If asked about the success mantra of highly successful people, most of them admit the influence of other people in their lives. Shiraz D Ozman believes in building relationships with influencers. He has close contacts with iconic personalities which have helped him immensely to stay inspired in his entrepreneur journey.
“Iconic personalities always inspire and encourage me to strive further in life. I try and associate with any successful personalities to learn and be inspired” says Shiraz. According to him dealing with better people makes us a better person.
If you are a young entrepreneur, an ambitious businessman or someone who is about to give up your dreams, life of Shiraz D Ozman has extensive lessons for you. As opposed to assigning your situations accountable for your losses, Shiraz proves that we can build our dreams from absolute nothing. Turning unfavourable situations to favourable are our own responsibility.
You can always transcend something wonderful from every adverse situation you have to encounter. Life is all about living with right perspective so as to conquer the right visions.
