East Coast Radio - Catch Up Future 50 - Powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio!

Future 50 - Powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio!

East Coast Breakfast, in collaboration with business growth specialist Pavlo Phitidis, returns with Season 3 of Future 50, proudly powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio.

Tune in every Tuesday at 8:10am to hear Future 50 on air, or catch the podcast, as Pavlo shines a light on ambitious businesses shaping South Africa’s economic future.

Entrepreneurs remain the backbone of progress. Their resilience, innovation and drive build stronger communities, create jobs and unlock opportunity across provinces and industries. Future 50 recognises those who are building with purpose and scaling with intent.

In Season 3, East Coast Breakfast and Pavlo Phitidis continue to spotlight businesses that demonstrate forward thinking growth. Each week, one business takes centre stage, sharing its journey, its challenges and the practical steps it is taking to move forward.

Whether the next milestone involves attracting new customers, securing funding, strengthening supply chains, hiring specialist talent or accessing critical business insight, Pavlo connects founders with the right networks, tools and expertise to accelerate growth.

Future 50 is powered by FNB Business, the help behind over 1 million unstoppable businesses.

FNB supports entrepreneurs across South Africa and has been recognised as the Best SME Bank in South Africa by the Global Finance Awards for three consecutive years, including 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Weekly English South Africa Business News · Business
109 Episodes
1 – 20

CK Advertising: From professional sport to brand execution

What happens when a professional sports career ends unexpectedly? For Corne Krige, it marked the beginning of a new arena - business. In this episode, we explore the journey behind CK Advertising, a Cape Town–based branding and event solutions company built on resilience, reinvention, and practical execution. From an informal…
3 Feb 7 min

Celrose Clothing: Building a Sustainable Future Through Skills and Innovation

In Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, a major clothing manufacturer is showing how South African industry can evolve — creating jobs, adopting new technologies, and building skills along the way. Celrose Clothing is one of South Africa’s leading apparel manufacturers, supplying quality denim garments and other clothing to well-known local retailers. Headed up…
23 Sep 2025 7 min

Ocean Plastic Technologies: Turning Plastic Waste into Community Value

Ocean Plastic Technologies, based in KwaZulu-Natal, was founded by Oliver Nudds with a clear purpose: to create practical, small-scale recycling solutions that make it possible to process plastic waste where it’s collected. What started as an idea during Oliver’s travels has grown into a business that is reshaping how recycling…
16 Sep 2025 6 min

Saddler Belts Explores Innovation While Staying True to Craft

Saddler Belts & Leathercraft, headed up by Andrew Fenwick, was featured in the KZN Future 50 earlier this year for its longstanding presence in the leather goods industry. Known for handcrafted leather belts and accessories, the Durban-based business has continued to grow steadily. While no major new retail contracts have…
9 Sep 2025 3 min

Where are they now: LIVClean Strengthens Position in the Industrial Cleaning Sector

LIVClean, founded by Matt Simpkins and Murray Gilson, continues to focus on delivering high standards in the industrial cleaning sector. Since their feature in the KZN Future 50, the business has worked on building long-term, sustainable contracts—particularly in sectors such as hospitality, where consistent service and operational certainty are key…
9 Sep 2025 3 min

Elangeni Buildings: From Family Foundations to a Smarter Way of Building

Elangeni Buildings, a family-run business in New Germany, KwaZulu-Natal, has been constructing homes and community spaces across South Africa since 1979. Founded by Rob Gibb, the business was established to provide a faster, more cost-effective alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar construction—without compromising on quality or compliance.
1 Sep 2025 5 min

Firefly Fabrics: Enabling Local Designers Through On-Demand Textile Printing

Firefly Fabrics, based in KwaZulu-Natal, was founded in 2021 to provide South African designers with access to small-batch, high-quality digital printing. Headed up by Reshma Harilall and operating as a division of the Startex Group, Firefly Fabrics combines textile expertise, sustainability, and technology to support fashion entrepreneurs in a competitive…
26 Aug 2025 5 min

Pinetown Diff and Gearbox: Built on Experience, Driven by Values

Pinetown Diff and Gearbox, based in New Germany, KwaZulu-Natal, has been specialising in differential and gearbox repairs for cars and trucks since 2008. The business was founded by Nadeera Ramharakh, who currently heads up the company, bringing her technical experience and leadership to every aspect of the workshop. Before establishing…
18 Aug 2025 5 min

Luminex Technologies: From a Market Gap to LED Screen Innovation in KwaZulu-Natal

Luminex Technologies is a KwaZulu-Natal-based LED screen solutions company Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic by Ashveer Ramdheen and Simeon Kistensamy. Their journey began when both founders faced challenges sourcing reliable LED displays, encountering poor service and limited after-sales support from existing suppliers. Recognising an opportunity to address this gap, they…
11 Aug 2025 6 min

Grovida: Supplying Gardening Solutions Across KwaZulu-Natal

What began as a modest garden supply business in Durban in 1980 has developed into a trusted name in horticulture across KwaZulu-Natal. Grovida was established by Vincent Lourenco Snr out of a passion for gardening and a desire to provide reliable, quality products to both home gardeners and the wider…
5 Aug 2025 6 min

BTL Engineering & Project Management A Business Born from Adversity

BTL Engineering & Project Management, a KwaZulu-Natal-based business founded and headed up by Andrew Cunningham, has grown from modest beginnings into a specialist in structural steel fabrication and installations. The company’s work underpins essential infrastructure, from bridges and industrial facilities to commercial buildings across the province.
28 Jul 2025 6 min

Africa Alternate Energy Solutions: Powering Smarter Energy Use in KwaZulu-Natal

Africa Alternate Energy Solutions (AAES), an independent KwaZulu-Natal-based business headed up by Muhammed Suleman, was established out of a growing interest in renewable energy and a drive to make sustainable power more accessible to South African businesses. What began as a technical passion soon developed into a full-scale operation offering…
21 Jul 2025 7 min

Akili Timber: A Local Business with Deep Roots in Richmond

Akili Timber, a sawmill based in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Richmond, is steadily building a name for itself in South Africa’s timber industry. The business processes raw logs into planks, poles, and custom timber products, serving clients across various sectors. Located just one hour from Durban Harbour, Akili Timber…
14 Jul 2025 6 min

KZN Businesses: Still Standing, Still Showing Up

In the latest KZN Future 50 feature on East Coast Radio, powered by FNB Business, the focus turned to something many local business owners are quietly facing — burnout. Business strategist Pavlo Phitidis spoke candidly about what he’s seeing across the country: entrepreneurs who haven’t given up, but who are…
7 Jul 2025 6 min

The Gold Bar: Building a Modern Gold Recycling Business with Purpose

The Gold Bar, a proudly South African business headed up by Sholain Perumal, has grown from experience earned on the ground to a steadily expanding network of gold recycling stores in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Today, it operates from six locations in leading shopping centres, offering customers a secure, transparent, and…
1 Jul 2025 5 min

Where are they now: AV Company Lighting Up Bigger Stages

AV Company, headed up by Craig Browning, has continued to play a key role behind the scenes in South Africa’s events industry. Known for delivering lighting, video, live streaming, staging, and event technology for concerts and large-scale productions, the business built on the momentum of the KZN Future 50 spotlight…
24 Jun 2025 2 min

Where are they now: Saikav Foods Grows Footprint in National Retail

Saikav Foods, under the leadership of Pregasen Francis, specialises in the production of pre-cooked legumes such as split pea dhal, sugar beans, and chickpeas. Since being featured on KZN Future 50, the business has secured a retail listing with Food Lover’s Market, significantly increasing its product visibility and access to…
24 Jun 2025 3 min

Bedrock Group: From Local Foundations to National Concrete Expertis

Bedrock Group, a specialist concrete construction business based in Westmead, Durban, has become a leading name in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. Founded and led by David and Greg Kitching, the company has built its reputation on innovation, precision, and a commitment to quality in the niche sectors of tilt-up and pre-cast…
17 Jun 2025 5 min

Adapting for Impact: Energywise Systems Refines Its Approach

After being highlighted in the KZN Future 50, Energywise Systems has focused on strengthening its internal strategy to better position the business for long-term growth. The company specialises in energy-efficient lighting solutions that help commercial, and retail clients reduce electricity consumption while also improving lighting design for productivity and sales…
10 Jun 2025 3 min

Driving Safer Fleets: FleetCam SA Moves Forward

Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, FleetCam SA has continued to focus on improving safety on South Africa’s roads. The company specialises in vehicle camera systems and telematics that use artificial intelligence to monitor driver behaviour and detect fatigue. A 24/7 command centre is on hand to respond…
10 Jun 2025 3 min
1 – 20