Food service is a diverse, thriving and rapidly growing industry. As healthy eating is continuing to trend, consumers are conscious of getting the right products from the right suppliers. There are many organizations in food service and distribution, handling import and export business worldwide, and Safco is the proud distributor, importer and exporter of quality food and non-food products, established in the year 1994. With a strong vision of maintaining long-term relationships with its clients, suppliers, & business partners, this family-owned business has become one of the leading food service companies in the UAE, catering to Foodservice and HORECA Industries in the UAE and internationally.

One of the most energetic and charismatic personality from the management team, Anju Sawhney takes over as Exports Director at Safco Group of Companies. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounts from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. Right after completing her graduation, she stepped into the export business supporting her husband Ajit Sawhney, CEO of the company. Today, she has established herself as one of the strongest pillars of the organization. With strategic and progressive vision, excellent leadership skills and humble nature she always believes in ‘Never Saying No’ to any opportunity that comes her way. Her dedication and passion for work have brought various laurels to the organization. Anju Sawhney engages in an exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur Magazine.

Introduce us to Safco International. Tell us about the underlying idea behind the venture and some of its most unique features.

Safco International General Trading Co. is one of the leading food service distributors, importers, and exporters of superior quality food and non-food products in the UAE, Middle East region & international markets. We offer an exceptional blend of premium quality ingredients and value-added service to our clients. With years of dedication, fine touch of service, and sole distribution rights for various brands, Safco prides itself on being a leading supply partner to most five-star hotels, dining restaurants, catering companies, bakeries, airlines, cruise lines, and hospitals in the UAE and internationally.

“ Embrace every challenge and never say no to any opportunities coming your way”

Safco endeavors to become the number one company for the supply of top-quality food & non-food products, with a focus on prompt deliveries and personalized service. We aim to reach this position by anticipating and meeting requirements while keeping pace with technological advances and conforming to high-quality standards.

What are the different responsibilities you shoulder as the Director of Safco International?

Starting from a consolidated business to being a leading food service distributor, I have witnessed various business modules and worked very closely with my team to ensure our customers received the best solutions and services always.

Tell us about some of the key leadership mantras or philosophies you leverage to be a successful business leader.

Working round the clock to serve our customers like family is one of the core leadership philosophies we carry at Safco. The excellent quality standards, diversity of brands, progressive supply chain and utmost service standards are a few core elements that enable us to be where Safco is today.

How has Safco International’s growth journey been so far? What roadmap have you set for the company’s next growth phase?

Safco has witnessed tremendous growth over the last few years. The people behind are the core reason for its success today. Sourcing premium food & non-food products from around the globe and offering the best solution always enables us to sustain the place where Safco stands today. Our aim is always to serve our customers with the utmost care, honesty and respect while focusing on investing in product development, consumer satisfaction, and convenience.

The representation of women leaders in top leadership roles has been gradually increasing, but a lot is still left to be done. What is your take on this in the context of being a business leader in Dubai? How is Dubai moving towards empowering women leaders?

Being a successful business entrepreneur is an overwhelming feeling and a great experience for me. I would like to thank my team and customers for their continued support and trust that they have shown throughout the years. It’s been about three decades of serving our customers with quality and convenience. Today I am glad that the team’s dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm has enabled us to create unparallel trust with our valued clients around the globe.

Talking about my second home the UAE, their continued efforts in improving gender diversity have led to more women holding more board positions in 2022 (8.9 percent) up from 3.5 percent in 2020. While supporting such great initiatives by the UAE government, I sincerely express my gratitude to every single woman who goes the additional mile and works hard for making their own identity. I wish all the women out there the very best in all they do in their professional lives.

 Anju Sawhney, Director – Exports, Safco International

Having started her professional journey with her family-owned business, today Anju is holding the Director of Exports position at Safco International.