Member Article

Nottingham businessman receives OBE

A Nottingham businessman who arrived in England aged just 8 years has collected his OBE, following recognition in the New Year’s Honours List.

Sam Sangha, who owns oriental foods wholesaler, Asiana, travelled to Buckingham Palace to receive the accolade from Prince Charles for his services to business.

Sam says: “To receive this honour is very humbling. When my family arrived from the Punjab we had very little money. I’ve achieved goals through a mixture of hard work, a little luck and by having some fantastic people around me.

“If you told me back when I first stepped onto British soil all those years ago that the Queen would one day be handing me an OBE, I would never have believed it. I have no idea who put me up for it. It is a real honour. It is inspiring, and I’m extremely grateful for what Nottingham has helped me achieve.”

Sam came to England in World Cup year, 1966. His family settled in Wolverhampton, but marriage brought him to Nottingham. In 1978 together with two other family members he went on to start one of his first entrepreneurial projects which was a family run business within the Oriental food trade - a business which would later become the Hyperama Cash and Carry Group.

In his 40s, Sam changed career and set up Asiana, foodservice and wholesale supplier, which distributes many known and Asiana own brands, and services several key blue chip accounts. The business also has five stores selling largely oriental foods and a warehouse and distribution centre on the Blenheim industrial estate employing 65 staff. The company has successfully launched the Chinese beer brand - Beiing Gold Beer and recently introduced the aloe vera drink Vita Aloe.

Sam also runs Asiana Developments, a property company which concentrates on buying up former pubs to let to supermarkets and convenience stores.

He added: “It’s been quite a journey along the way, but I can’t claim all the credit for this honour. Running a successful business is all about having the right people around you - at the office and at home. Without my family, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve anywhere near what I have over the last 50 years. The OBE is as much for them as it is me.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Laura Jones .