Women-powered B.C. company has become a North American success story
Mawani, who came to Canada from Tanzania in 1982, has made it a priority to help immigrant women find a place to work and thrive
When Shelina Mawani and her sister were running a small restaurant in Burnaby serving ethnic meals two decades ago, they found themselves trying to keep up with so many take-away orders for their freshly made samosas. The founders of Nana’s Kitchen and Hot Sauce Ltd. shifted their focus from meal service to wholesale, making samosas one by one out of a 700-squarefoot space, then hauling them from coffee shop to coffee shop to sell them.
The early days were a struggle; with little money coming in, it was hard to keep the labour-intensive process up in a fiercely competitive market.
Every three months, the women would say to each other: “We can do this.”
Their persistence paid off. Today, based in Surrey, Nana’s Kitchen manufactures 25,000 samosas every single day. It also makes other delicious products, such as wraps and Mexican chimichangas, burritos and bulk sauces, all made by hand and distributed from coast to coast throughout Canada and the United States.
Nana’s Kitchen has become a B.C. success story, a distinct brand known for “convenient comfort foods with a global taste”.
Her sister having since retired, Mawani and her husband have led the company to its position as the only production facility of its kind in the province, inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the USDA. She’s proud of its HACCP certification and the British Retailer Consortium’s (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety, one of the highest and most rigorous food-certification programs in the world.
From samosas to vegetable pakoras, Nana’s Kitchen’s foods are carried at every grocery store in Western Canada — in the deli department, not the frozen section — and as far and wide as Alaska and Hawaii.
Mawani has never lost sight of her goal for Nana’s Kitchen to become a household name in North America. However, there’s much more to her vision than commercial success.
Having come to Canada from Tanzania in 1982, she has made it a priority to provide a place for women, immigrant women in particular, to work and to thrive. Several of the original restaurant staff have gone on to become managers. Daily laughter, support and the sharing of delicious food are just as crucial to the company’s operations as marketing and research and development.
“I am who I am today because of my staff,” Mawani says. “We’ve always given a chance to women — women who come from diversity, of different backgrounds, women who don’t speak English — to grow. Nana’s Kitchen is about diversity and inclusion in the workplace. My slogan is ‘everything with love and respect.’
“When I was a new immigrant, I struggled,” she adds. “I love that I’m able to give opportunity to people.”
Mawani’s dedication has proven to be a recipe for success. Nana’s Kitchen has earned the prestigious BC Provincial Multicultural business award, while the Surrey Board of Trade recognized the company with its award for excellence in export business. Mawani and her sister won the B.C. New Canadian Entrepreneur Award. Earlier this year, Mawani was recognized for her community work and honoured with NRI World Summit – Bharat Samman Global Leader Award at the House of Lords in London, England. The NRI Institute is a non-profit NGO that connects the Indian diaspora.
Those are just some of her formal recognitions, while it’s her personal leadership style that has a positive impact on her staff.
“She a very nurturing person as a leader,” says Tara Coleman, Nana Kitchen’s Canadian and U.S. accounts manager. “She has been such an inspiration to me. She has guided me to become the person I am within the company and given me guidance that has helped me grow not only professionally, but also personally.
“Her knowledge of the market is incredible; I don’t think I would gain that knowledge in school,” she adds. “She’s taught me how to work with different buyers. We throw ideas at each other, and if we feel we could do something better we vocalize it. She’s the best boss I’ve ever had.”
Coleman says Mawani has also instilled in her the importance of being involved in the community and the value of being humble. “She’s a blessing in my life,” Coleman says, “a mentor.”
Mawani has her sights set on further expansion for Nana’s Kitchen, while holding the people around her close to her heart.
“On International Women’s Day, I have so much gratitude,” she says. “I’m proud to be a women-powered company, and women empowerment is my biggest passion. My employees are number one.”