The Millionaires Club is a long-held tradition at Food Lover’s Market, and it is considered a great honour to be welcomed into the prestigious club. The honour of entering the Club is strictly open to those Store Managers or Division Heads that show excellent performance in achieving more than their expected budgetary goals for the year. For store managers, the goal is defined as beating your annual budget by R1 million.
This Women’s month, we celebrate the growth of women within our Millionaires Club. More and more women take a seat at the table each year, and stand as exemplary examples of female leaders, inspiring and empowering others.
Colleagues who joined the club were presented with TAG Heuer watches, which had been personally engraved welcoming them to the Millionaires Club.
To celebrate Women’s Day, we chatted to some of the women of the Millionaires Club so that we could share their inspirational journey with you.
Carmen Manual – Food Lover’s Market N1 City
Carmen became part of the Food Lover’s Market family in 2003 as a cashier in the Roeland Street branch. From there, her determination is what lead her to become a member of the FLM Millionaires Club in 2022.
When walking up on the stage to accept her award, Carmen felt shocked and stood in awe. Carmen had not realized the achievement she had achieved.
The Millionaires Club was not a specific dream of Carmen, but she has always driven me to make budgets and goals. Which clearly paid off!
Whilst Carmen describes herself as a ‘behind-the-scenes’ type, her drive and determination it what have built her confidence and resilience. “Pace yourself and set goals for yourself.”
What words of inspiration do you have for the young women of South Africa?
Be more confident. Don’t be afraid that it ‘might not work out.’ “Anything a woman touches; they can do better than a man.”
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Racquel Van Graan – Food Lover’s Market Tokai*
Racquel, current manager of Food Lover’s Market Somerset West, started working in Fruit and Veg City Mitchells Plain in 2001. Racquel worked in the milk room, “In those days, we sold fresh milk on tap, out of vats,” she shares. From milk room to receiving, the admin office and on to being a manager!
Having recently transferred to Somerset West, Racquel received the award for last year’s achievements, at the Tokai store. “Receiving the award is quite an experience, overwhelming in fact as it was never expected. As I say, the manager of the store is just the manager of the store, but the people that are behind you; are the people that are the engine of the store. I am representing the whole of Tokai at that time, they are the people that took me there”
Racquel has run the largest Food Lover’s Market store in Western Cape, one of her most significant achievements to date. “I feel strongly about achieving this as a coloured woman.”
What would her ideal job be? – “I don’t see myself in any other job than on the floor or any other part of the pace and adrenaline that is retail!”
As her career flourished, Racquel’s confidence grew with the people around her. “Knowing the passion and love that I have for this company and the work I do, is what gave me the confidence I have.”
Read more about Racquel from a 2017 feature.
Racquel’s words of inspiration:
“Don’t give up. Be positive and confident with yourself. Don’t stand back. Do something because you want to do it, not because it’s a status.”
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Farhana Krishna – Food Lover’s Market Middelburg
Farhana started working for FLM went she was just 15 years old, and after she completed her schooling, she was permanently employed by Food Lover’s Market. That marks 24 years she has been working for Food Lover’s Market.
She shares that she never thought she’d be the one standing on the stage accepting the award into the Millionaires Club but attributes her success to her hard work and passion for the brand. She believes her superiors played a big part in giving her the confidence to take on the challenges that led to her success, “Working with my superiors build a lot of confidence in me. My directors were positive about me. When I felt I wasn’t ready to be the manager of the store, they had that confidence in me.”
What words of inspiration do you have for the young women of South Africa and Food Lover’s Market?
“Be independent! What one woman can do, the other women can. If I can do it, so can you.”
To get to know more about Farhana read A Day In The Life Of Farhana Krishna, an article from the FLM Chat Mag, June 2022 edition.
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While we feature our store managers, we also acknowledge Yolanda Louw, Financial Director of Food Lover’s Holdings who entered into the Millionaires Club in 2022, alongside Farhana, Carmen and Racquel for her monumental achievements within the finance division.
The Millionaires’ Club is one of many milestones put in place by Food Lover’s Market to celebrate our people’s successes. Our Millionaires’ Club females also act as mentors to the training managers. 2021 saw 15 training managers complete our Manager Development Course, including 5 females.
Next time to visit Middelburg, N1 City or Tokai, say hello to our team and give warm congratulations on their successes.
