TOP 100 SMES AWARDS: Winners share success secrets

Dar es Salaam. Mwanza Quality Wine on Friday night emerged the overall winner of the ninth edition of the Tanzania Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Survey 2019.

The survey, which recognises mid-sized firms that have shown entrepreneurial excellence, is the brainchild of Mwananchi Communications through The Citizen brand, and KPMG, an audit, tax and advisory firm.

The first and second runners up were Travel Partner and waste management company Green Waste. The winners were announced at a gala dinner held at the Serena Hotel in the city on Friday night.

Mr Frank Koko, the Mwanza Quality Wine strategic manager attributed their victory to good management, discipline in keeping records and quality service to customers.

It was the second time that the company was taking part in the survey. Last year it ranked at 35th place.

Mr Koko said they had no idea that they could this year even feature in the list of top 10.

At the event to announce the winners, it reached a time they lost hope and wanted to leave the conference room for home.

“For us today’s victory has caught us by surprise. We didn’t expect that we could emerge the overall winners” said Mr Koko.

Travel Partner chief executive officer Erick Mashauri said this time they were able to beat all odds to become second following a number of initiatives.

He said investment in training of employees, whose number stands at 105, was topping the list of attributes for the success. This, he added, has in turn increased the firm’s productivity. Going by this year’s Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Survey findings, every Sh1 million invested in training, increases profit before tax by Sh9 million.

The company has been in the business for over 20 years.

But it was business as usual before they started being serious five years ago when they got involved in the Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies survey, according to Mr Mashauri.

“We have been doing well in the survey but it the first time we get placed at the second position,” he explained.

For its part, Green WastePro managing director Deusdedit Rutazaa said it was his team’s commitment that saw his firm featuring in top three.

He said despite standing at 40th position last year, they never gave up with hope they would one day appear on the top 10 list.

“We had a dream to feature on the top 10 list and that is why we had to come with a commitment, to keep the momentum going,” said Mr Rutazaa.

The company has some 600 employees.