From a mobile store supplying spice powders to the neighbourhood, Santha Store Flour Mill has become a national institution
Only a handful of old-timers may remember this detail, but the late Vallison Raman, spice king of Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan's state, was originally a teacher.
In his spare time, Vallison used his car to help a spice maker friend deliver his products from door to door. He developed an avid interest in the trade, and when his friend decided to sell the business, he jumped at the opportunity.
With a capital of less than USD13 (RM50), he bought a grinder and rented a shop-lot in the rural township of Rantau, supplying custom spice blends to shopkeepers and coffee shops. His humble spice mill performed another important service for the neighbourhood: Every morning, housewives queued up with bags of chillies, onions and grains, waiting their turns to grind spice powders for their kitchens. “My eyes would sting from the chilli fumes and coloured powders flying in the air,” recalls Mathubala, his eldest daughter.
As his business grew from strength to strength, Vallison upgraded to a Morris Minor, a Volkswagen and eventually a Mercedes-Benz van. In addition to preorders, those vehicles doubled as mobile grocery stores for ad hoc purchases while making deliveries.
In 1979, Vallison made the strategic decision to buy a plot of undeveloped rubber land in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan’s capital. Today, this is the site of the family home, and the company’s one-hectare premises. From their signature meat curry powders and chilli powders, Santha’s (for short) has diversified into one of Malaysia’s largest spice powder mills, with over 100 food products including dry fruits and nuts, whole-grain stone-ground flours and speciality foods like vegetarian meats. Other than supplying to supermarkets and provision shops, Santha’s exports to an international market that includes the U.S., Japan, Taiwan and Singapore.
The success is at least partially due to the founder’s branding savvy: Vallison introduced the more hygienic aluminium foil packaging at a time when its competitors were still using plastic versions. The current look has evolved to include a distinctive crow logo and recipe suggestions, making the products instantly recognisable. Vallison’s son-in-law Dr TVK Balakrishnan, who took over management in 1990, also drove many of the company’s modernisation efforts, which resulted in Santha’s becoming the only Malaysian company among 143 countries to receive a World Quality Commitment Award in 1999.
The factory is a curious mix of the old and modern. Massive chiller rooms preserve the freshness of raw ingredients imported from around the world. State-of-the-art machines perform an assortment of tasks such as roasting, mixing, crushing, grinding, sifting, cooling and packaging. Staff in blue caps and industrial coats go about their daily tasks following detailed operating manuals.
Yet amidst those modern conditions, you’ll find pockets that show the importance of revered traditions in the company culture. Long-serving staff can measure out ingredients with accuracies that match weighing machines. Some key products such as garam masala and murukku flour are produced using old-school grinders from the company’s early days. “The heat release process helps retain the texture, natural oils and aromas of these ingredients, compared to the pulverising process of industrial super micro grinders,” explains Dr Balakrishnan.
After our tour of the production area, his wife Mathubala serves us an incredibly moist vegan cake made from a surprise ingredient: atta flour, traditionally associated with chappati (Indian griddled flatbread). “Indian spices not only add tonnes of flavor, but are very versatile,” she enthuses.
“Santha’s is all about going on a journey with our customers and exploring new and exciting ways of using traditional spices,” says Dr Balakrishnan. “We believe that maintaining a balance between beloved traditions and modern ways is the key to our longevity.”
