Business Profile: Kuldip Singh Wouhra
The delivery work eventually turned into a full-time business, and like any forward-thinking entrepreneur, Wouhra started to think of expansion. But with venture capital and affordable labour in short supply for an Asian-owned business in the 1960s, he turned to a source that would be the background of so many successful immigrant business stories – the extended family.
He says: “I came here in 1961 and my elder brother joined me in 1967. He had come to become a barrister and studied while I built up a small business, but we thought there was a germ of an idea in future business together. Working hard together was the essence of the whole theory. Your real success is in the people who work with you – I never say the words ‘work for you’.
More relatives came to join the firm over the years.
Entrepreneurialism has traditionally been much more common among immigrant communities, for a number of reasons. Financial and labour support from families and friends, a closer understanding of some niche markets, and a lack of access to many professional jobs.
But Mr Wouhra said he thought things had become harder for people looking to get into business in the nearly 50 years since he started working for himself. He said: “I think it may be harder in some respects and that’s because there is a lot of competition. At that time you could start a very small business and work your way up.
“Perhaps there’s not always that option nowadays.
“My advice would be to always find out what niche you want to attack because its a niche that will take you forward relatively quickly. The mainstream businesses are very competitive and you can bring your knowledge to bear.
“As far as your hard work can brings the things together, it’s god’s will that will decide what happens.”
And it was this faith, plus a brush with diabetes, that made him more interested in organic food, plus giving a new direction for the business.
After becoming more interested in a ‘pure’ diet following advice from doctors, he not only changed his own eating habits, but the buying habits of the company.
The trust supports a network of about a quarter of a million small-scale organic farmers in India through the Morarka Charitable Trust.
And as well as supporting a huge number of people in the developing world, the success of the business has made Wouhra a well-known name in the business community in the UK.
The honorary doctorate at BCU comes a decade after he was awarded an MBE for services to food
“It’s very surprising for me, and a pleasant one at that,” he says.
“I believe its more of a recognition of what people do in my case I’ve been a businessman. But it’s all been with the help of the family.”
