Filial Daughter-in-law Reaps Rewards With Family’s Spice Brand

Once only sold in local supermarkets and grocery stores, Kari Selising products have now entered the international market. (Kari Selising @ Facebook pic)

KOTA BHARU: Entrepreneur Norhazimah Ab Rahman never imagined that her decision to help her mother-in-law run a spice factory during the pandemic would lead to a new chapter in her life.

Today, the 40-year-old 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.

“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 the 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 were previously sold only in local markets and grocery stores, but have now penetrated international markets including Thailand, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, England, the UK and Singapore.

A graduate in business, IT and accounting, Norhazimah said the Halal MeSTI certification obtained at the end of last year became a stepping stone to expanding her market reach.

“It 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 150kg of spices per day, her small factory in Selising, Pasir Puteh, now produces over 300kg daily.

Kari Selising 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.

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

“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.”

Still, these challenges have not dampened her spirit. With strong support from her husband, Mohd Rais Mat Jusoh, the mother of two is now planning to expand her spice-processing factory to meet rising demand.

And Norhazimah’s efforts have not gone unnoticed: last year, she was named the best entrepreneur in Bachok district by the Ideas Malaysia Entrepreneur Programme organised by the Asean-Korea Cooperation Fund.

“This programme allowed me to introduce my products to the Asean market. I hope more people will recognise our heritage spices and enjoy the authentic flavours that have been passed down for generations,” she concluded.

Learn more about Kari Selising on Facebook and TikTok.