Tolaram Group

Tolaram Group is a holding company headquartered in Singapore, it operates a diversified business interest that include the largest noodles brand in Nigeria. The firm has presence in Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Singapore. In West Africa, the group's expansion partly involves a variety of manufacturing and marketing concerns in partnership with other multinational brands. Dufil Prima, a 50-50 partnership with the Salim Group of Indonesia produces Indomie Instant Noodles in Nigeria, another partnership with the Arla Group of Denmark trades Dano milk while a partnership with Kellogs promotes breakfast cereal in West Africa.

Tolaram Group
Industry
  • Apparel & Textile Products
  • Food & Beverages
Founded1948 (1948)
Headquarters
Singapore
Area served
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Tolaram origins can be traced to the textile trade of Khanchand Vaswani,[1] a Sindhi businessman who established a shop in Malang, Indonesia in 1948. The firm expanded to Singapore in 1965 which later became its headquarters.[2] In 1973, it established a textile presence in Indonesia.

Africa

In the 1970s, the group undertook an expansion into the Nigeria economy, it started with the importation of textile products and later the establishment of a stretch fibre production plant in Port Harcourt.[3] Beginning in 1988, Tolaram began importing into the Nigerian market instant noodles manufactured by Indofoods of the Salim Group of Indonesia, [4] the product was new to Nigeria and Tolaram's management desire was to market the brand, obtain significant following and attain market leadership. Further investments was made in the country when the group absorbed the haulage business of Blackwood Hodge integrating it with its indomie enterprise to deliver supplies to wholesalers.[5] Indomie instant noodles gradually thrived in the Nigerian market, significant growth was achieved after the return of democracy in 1999 and the brand soon came to dominate the market.[6]

In 1995, concern shifted towards local manufacturing of its key brand and a noodles plant was constructed which began operations in 1996. To support the plant and ensure performance, it integrated many parts of its operations with additional investments in energy supply, and expansion of its logistic and distribution network.[7] Multipro Limited was also established in 1997 to distributes various products including the company's brands.

Tolaram entered into a venture between its Multipro brand and Kellogs Corporation in 2015 to produce and market Kellogs food products in Nigeria.[8] Another venture with Arla Group, makers of Dano brands of milk product was established to market and distribute Dano products in Nigeria.[9]

Tolaram emphasis on diversification of interest continued with development of a free trade zone and port in Lekki, Lagos.[10]

Outside Africa

In 1995, the firm acquired Horizon Paper and Pulp mill from the government of Estonia, the firm was bankrupt at the time of purchase, but with further financial support from the International Finance Corporation, Horizon was able to capture 25% of the toilet paper market by 1999.[11]

Amar Bank of Indonesia is financial company with significant equity held by Tolaram, the institution encourages digital transactions through it fintech product, Tunaiku.[12]


Subsidiaries[13]

Trade Name Business activity/main location brands
DUFIL Prima Foods Plc consumer goods/West Africa Indomie instant noodle
Tolaram Africa Enterprises Ltd consumer goods/West Africa hypo (bleech)
Multipro Enterprises Distribution/West Africa Kellogs
VConnect Global Services information, communications/West Africa Vconnect
Lagos Free Trade Zone Company FTZ/Lagos
Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Port services?Lagos
TG Arla consumer goods/West Africa Dano milk
Horizon Pulp & Paper, Kehra Harju county consumer goods/Estonia Horizon products
Tolaram investments / Phoenixland
Lotus Indah Textile Industries
Amar Bank Finance Tunaiki


References
  1. "Our Evolution". Tolaram Group. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
  2. Bhattacharya, Jayati. (2011). Beyond the myth : Indian business communities in Singapore. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 112. ISBN 978-981-4311-36-6. OCLC 747087438.
  3. "The Tolaram Business Model". MaximumVenture. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  4. Kumar, Ravi (April 24, 2018). "Power of Shared Control: Family Business Shows 50:50 Joint Venture Can Work" (PDF).
  5. "Page 1". www.tabla.com.sg. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  6. Wargadiredja, Arzia Tivany (2017-04-24). "How Indomie Became Insanely Popular in Nigeria". Vice. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  7. Christensen, Clayton M. (2019-01-15). The prosperity paradox (First ed.). New York, NY. pp. 79–93. ISBN 978-0-06-285183-3. OCLC 1082518619.
  8. "Page 1". www.tabla.com.sg. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  9. dairyreporter.com. "Arla boosts West African 'distribution backbone' with JVs in Nigeria and Senegal". dairyreporter.com. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  10. Munshi, Neil (October 21, 2019). "Noodle maker plans busiest port in west Africa". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  11. Smith, Benjamin (October 21, 1999). "Tolaram bets on the right horse with paper mill".
  12. "Tunaiku Eyeing SMEs Engaged in Online Sales". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  13. "UNGC report by Tolaram" (PDF).
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