NO REGRETS: LEAVING OIL AND GAS BEHIND FOR THE BUZZ OF CARBONATED DRINK BUSINESS

By Razif Rosli

MANJUNG, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Rosniza Saaiddin, 47, who now owns a profitable carbonated drink business, has never regretted her decision to leave her 15-year career in the oil and gas industry.

The decision in 2013 unexpectedly opened up opportunities for the Maman Trading manager to dabble in her husband's family's legacy business while also managing the household and children.

Rosniza said that after leaving the workforce, she started the soft drink business under the “Alif” brand, with a capital of RM30,000, on June 1 of that year.

She took over her husband's small-scale enterprise and changed the original brand to “Zeeper” to be more commercial.

“For three years, we slowly moved forward. I used my savings and sold other equipment, including cars, to expand our business.

“During that time, more than RM300,000 was spent, and to this day, we still have not used any loans from the banks," she said when met by Bernama here recently.

Rosniza said her husband Abdul Rahman Basri, 49, helped her immensely in the first year of starting the business, from brewing water to packaging drinks.

She said that her initial experience in the food and beverage field helped her in running the business, especially since she attended additional classes and courses to improve her skills.

She said government agencies such as the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) assisted her with analytical services, with the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, Malaysia (FAMA) providing marketing assistance.

Although many carbonated drinks are now on the market with various brands, colours, and attractive packaging, she was confident that her products were unique.

“Zeeper carbonated water is produced using nine types of filtered water with alkaline water at a pH level of 9.5, with lower sugar and gas content, compared to those available on the market.

“So far, we have 11 products, namely orange, strawberry, sarsaparilla ('sarsi'), cola, apple, grape, cream soda, blue soda, and fruits, with soursop and agarwood cola as the latest (products). We are also in the process of producing tamarind water and isotonic drinks," she said.

So far, her company can produce more than 30,000 litres of drinks a month, including meeting orders for special events.

Commenting further on the product, she said the drink comes in two different sizes, namely 1.25 litres priced at RM2.80 and a small size of 320 millilitres priced at RM1.50, available in all selected supermarkets.

“Apart from individuals who come to buy, we have supplied to supermarkets, cooperatives, petrol stations and entrepreneurs who are interested in becoming Zeeper agents or distributors," she said, adding that she will sell her products at 14 petrol stations throughout Peninsular Malaysia by next year.

Rosniza said that next year, her company is working to market non-carbonated Zeeper at school cooperatives.

She said that Zeeper products are already available in the international market, namely in Ireland and Singapore via agents in both countries.

“Although we already have products overseas, my main focus is for expansion in the domestic market, and we are working to ensure that every one of our products is available in every retail store,” she added.

-- BERNAMA