From a backyard farm to a thriving business
TODAY, Ram Sami and Sons Ltd (RSSL) is a household name when it comes to all things eggrelated. But where was the company first established and how did it grow to become so successful?
Director Prashneel Sami Gounder gave us a rare insight into the humble beginnings of a company that grew out of a backyard farm.
He said the company was founded in the early 1960s by his grandparents Mr and Mrs Ram Sami in Koroqaqa, Baulevu, Nausori as a backyard farm.
“When a major flooding event happened in 1967, they moved to Tovata and went into vegetable and yaqona farming,” Mr Gounder said.
“As a side venture, they also set up a small shed for poultry.
“The returns from that little poultry farm were reinvested into the poultry side of things and the business was such that they began to mainly concentrate on poultry alone.
“A brooding shed was set up where day-old chicks were bred and a rearing shed was set up for rearing the layers.
“By that time, the poultry business was self-sufficient and in the 1970s they invested in a feed mill.
“This was located in the same area.
“Also, at this time, the company was registered as Ram Sami and Sons Ltd.
“The feed mill produced feed for the brooding, rearing and laying farm.”
Mr Gounder said in 1980, due to the increase in demand, the company bought land in Wainadoi and constructed brooding, rearing and layer shed there.
“With its continuous expansion, the company shifted its sales and distribution and warehouse to Baadal Place in Makoi.
“In 1997, the feed mill was shifted from Tovata to Baadal Place in Makoi as it required a bigger space for increased feed production.
“With advice from veterinarians in 1997, the company built a separate brooding and rearing farm in Wainadoi which was separate from the laying farm.
“Soon after, as the people of Fiji realised the nutritional benefits of eggs, another farm was bought in Baulevu.”
Mr Gounder said to cater for its expansion, in 2002 the company bought a farm in Vitogo, Lautoka, and established it as a distribution centre for Western Viti Levu.
He said in 2004, his father Rajendra Sami took over the company and it was incorporated as Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Ltd.
“With the continuous increase in demand, an automatic shed was built in 2006 in Wainadoi.
“Also, in the same year, an additional brooding and rearing shed was built.”
The company is now fully equipped with the latest technologies and machines in its farms and grading and warehouse factories.
Mr Gounder said they had future plans to raise the standards of their sheds so they could fully utilise the latest in innovative technology that was available and capitalise on more export markets with increased production.
“In addition, we will also be investing in more of our brooding and rearing equipment.
“Our plan is also to invest in more sheds as the demand is increasing since more awareness is now being created through different mediums of advertising about the advantages and health benefits of eggs.
“There is an increase in export demands and our eggs are being exported to new markets.”
He said the management and directors were quality focused.
“The team is in the process of changing RSSFL from a production-oriented company to a marketing company, assisting in creating a business plan and a marketing plan.
“RSSFL has enjoyed a very high level of customer retention because of the whole team’s personality and performance.
“If you look at our farms, they are well equipped with the latest technology and comply with all international standards. Over there, cleanliness and uniformity is practiced at all times.”
Mr Gounder said Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Ltd has always been and would continue to be at the forefront of social and corporate responsibilities.
“The company had been considering and ensuring that there is always a benefit going back to its staff, society and the environment.
“The company caters to disabled schools’ needs and wants.
“Free eggs are being distributed on a weekly basis to these schools Fiji-wide; a few of them include Gospel School for the Deaf, St Christopher’s Home, Dilkusha Home, Hilton Special School and others.
“We also work closely with town councils on various project works, such as the placement of rubbish bins at bus stands in the Nasinu to Nausori corridor.
“This will reduce littering and will help in promoting cleanliness.”
Mr Gounder said the company also sponsored cash and in-kind towards charity events organised by non-profitable organisations which benefitted the needy people.
“Such events include golf tournaments, chefs competitions, walkathons, fitness classes, etc.
“We also support local schools with billboards and other signage.”
He said Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Ltd’s commitment to staying abreast with the latest technology and expansion to meet demand has resulted in the company growing its business outside of Fiji.
“We started exporting in 2005 and have gradually been increasing over the years.
“We have acquired quite a number of Pacific Island countries as our export destination over these years.
“Kiribati, Nauru, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Tonga, Wallis & Futuna, Solomon Islands, Samoa, and Tuvalu are some of the countries we are currently exporting our products to.”
Ram Sami and Sons Ltd was incorporated in Suva in 1970. In 2005, the company was restructured and it started its operation as Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Ltd.
The company has more than 250 workers on a permanent basis together with a number of contractual workers from time to time.
Apart from the farms, the company has its own feed mill, maintenance workshop, and warehouse.
It also has three sales and distribution centres: Suva being the head office, Lautoka and Labasa.
Over the decades, Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Ltd has achieved an excellent reputation as the supplier of farm fresh eggs, live chicken, poultry manure and quality poultry feed.
Eggs, being their core product, are sold to leading supermarkets in Fiji, major hotels, Air Terminal Services, municipal markets, dairy shops, restaurants, canteens, cafes, bakeries, government and private sector offices and barbecue stalls.
As part of the innovation process, an environment-controlled shed was commissioned in February 2006 and the company is the first in the Pacific to have it.
The new shed is fully automatic whereby only one operator is required to do the job from feeding to egg collection, grading and packing.”
The returns from that little poultry farm were reinvested into the poultry side
of things and the business was such that they began to mainly concentrate on poultry alone
– Prashneel Sami Gounder