Young entrepreneur Avishay Singh believes that with determination and resilience, youths can make a profound impact on the world and achieve unparalleled success.
In his opinion, the strength of a youth’s willpower knows no bounds, empowering them to accomplish anything they set their minds to and overcome any obstacle in their path.
At just 22 years old, Avishay embarked on the exciting journey of entrepreneurship by founding Shahil’s Party Ice and Frozen Supplies. Today, at the age of 26, his business has not only flourished but also employs a team of eight dedicated individuals. Five are dedicated female employees and three male employees.
Avishay is one of the recipients of Business Link Pacific (BLP) Business Support Grant. With the grant money, he will purchase the slice cutter and biogas plant.
Expressing his gratitude to BLP and BAF for the grant, Avishay is happy that there are organizations like BLP and Business Assistance Fiji (BAF) that invest into youth businesses which is crucial for building a vibrant and inclusive economy.
“Organizations like BLP and BAF are important because they provide resources, guidance, and networking opportunities for young entrepreneurs. They contribute to economic growth, job creation, and address challenges like youth unemployment,” he said.
Avishay did the grant application under growth category. Growth is a category where if an SME is expanding their business to new markets or locations or increasing production, BLP want to help SMEs achieve their growth goals.
In 2017, Avishay Singh found himself in a challenging situation. Despite having no prior experience in the industry, he had to adapt quickly when his father underwent an operation and became bedridden for a month. This unexpected turn of events forced Avishay to leave his mechanic job at Pacific Building Solutions and take over the family-run business.
Their business involved supplying party ice to fishermen, small dairy shops, and canteens in their neighbourhood and nearby communities. Although it was a new venture for him, Avishay approached this task with determination and a willingness to learn.
Earlier this year, Shahil’s Party Ice and Frozen Supplies won the agriculture category of the Fiji Development Bank’s SME awards.
Through his friendly and patient nature, he built strong relationships with customers, expanding the business and ensuring its success. In just four years, this young entrepreneur has achieved remarkable growth for the company. What originally started as a party ice business has now expanded into a diverse product line, including frozen cassava and dalo.
These products are conveniently packaged in 1kg packs and are now available in major supermarket outlets in Suva and the Western Division. This expansion has allowed the business to reach a wider customer base and establish a presence in prominent retail locations.
Last year, the company started selling frozen peeled cassava and dalo, inspired by hardships faced by farmers in Viria Village in Naitasiri, who are also friends of the family.The farmers had cassava and dalo but no market, so Avishay decided to help them out by buying their produce, packaging them and supplying the supermarkets. It became very popular and now be works closely with 24 farmers and purchase root crops from them.
Through Avishay’s hard work and entrepreneurial spirit, the company has flourished and successfully diversified its offerings.
Avishay came to know about BAF and BLP during the Development Bank’s SME awards and BAF also did business diagnostic for his business.
ENDS
