ENTREPRENEUR EARNS FIVE-FIGURE INCOME AFTER TAKING OVER FAMILY'S SPICE BUSINESS

KOTA BHARU, March 2 (Bernama) -- Spice entrepreneur Norhazimah Ab Rahman, 40, never imagined that stepping in to help her mother-in-law run a spice factory during the COVID-19 pandemic would open a new chapter in her life.

Today, the mother of two has not only succeeded in continuing her family’s legacy, but is also generating a monthly income exceeding five figures.

It all began in 2020 when her mother-in-law, Siti Mariam Ab Aziz, 75, fell ill. With no prior experience, Norhazimah had to take charge of Kari Selising, a spice brand established in 1975.

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“At the time, the country was still under the Movement Control Order. I was completely lost as I had never managed a factory before. On top of that, all staff were unable to work as usual.

“Fortunately, my mother-in-law provided continuous guidance and support. From selecting raw spices to packaging and marketing, I had to learn everything from scratch,” she told Bernama recently.

According to Norhazimah, Kari Selising products, which were previously sold only in local markets and grocery stores, have now penetrated international markets, including Thailand, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, England, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

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Norhazimah, a graduate in Business, Information Technology and Accounting from MARA Polytechnic College, said the Halal MeSTI certification obtained at the end of last year became a stepping stone to expanding her market reach.

“This certification has given us the confidence to enter larger markets. We are also working on new packaging to meet supermarket standards,” she said.

Starting with just 150 kilogrammes (kg) of spices per day, her small factory in Selising, Pasir Puteh, now produces over 300 kg of spices daily.

The factory currently produces 11 types of cooking spices, including curry powder, kurma, kerutuk, dalca, eggplant curry, gulai darat, turmeric powder and ground pepper with the help of five full-time employees.

Norhazimah said her factory relies entirely on imported spices from India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Guatemala.

“Any disruption in supply from these countries can affect our operations. There have been times when spice stocks were difficult to obtain due to crises in export countries. We even had to shut down operations for a month due to supply shortages.

“This is our main challenge because the raw ingredients are unavailable in Malaysia, except for black pepper, which I source from Sarawak and recently from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan,” she said.

However, these challenges have not dampened her spirit. With strong support from her husband, Mohd Rais Mat Jusoh, 40, Norhazimah is now planning to expand her spice processing factory to meet the rising demand.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, she was named Best Entrepreneur in Bachok district in the IDEAS Malaysia Entrepreneur Programme organised by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund last year.

“This programme has allowed me to introduce my products to the ASEAN market. I wish more people would recognise our heritage spices and enjoy the authentic flavours that have been passed down for generations,” she said.

-- BERNAMA