Mark Bielovich

Mark Bielovich is the group chief executive officer of BMS Foods, a business born from family ties, that has grown over the decades through astute business acumen, unwavering vision and hard work.

This KwaZulu-Natal based company is a leader in the processing and retail of meat products. As CEO, Mark manages the three arms that make up BMS Foods. BMS Properties manages the company’s property assets. Gen4Foods specialises in meat processing and supplies supermarkets nationally with high-quality products including polony and viennas. The retail division, Bluff Meat Supply, is made up of 26 stores across KZN. Mark says that a business is only as strong as its weakest link, stating that he is grateful for the commitment and hard work of his partners.

The humble beginnings of this company stem back over one hundred years. In 1916, Mark’s grandfather Joe Bielovich, traveled by boat from Croatia to South Africa where he started a small butchery in Brakpan. The family subsequently moved to Durban in the mid-1950s.. In 1960 Joe opened a butchery on the Bluff, which was the start of the present-day Bluff Meat Supply. He retired shortly afterwards and was succeeded by Mark’s father, Marco, who ran the business until the mid-1970s. This business became part of a bigger company, Wholesome Meats, who were the leading meat company in KZN at that time.

In 1980 Mark joined Wholesome Meats as an apprentice butcher. He was sent abroad to train as a master butcher in the Stuttgart area of Germany. The two years that he spent overseas had a profound effect on his work ethic and overall business outlook.

Mark explained, “I worked for Henrich Mack, a German master butcher. He was a strict man who always sought perfection. We worked hard and had long hours – 90 hours a week. He watched everything closely including overheads like the cost of energy. As a young apprentice, the high standards and sound business practices rubbed off on me. I continue to try instill those same values in my partners and in our employees at work.”

In early 1984, Mark and his twin brother Bruce started a small butchery in Pinetown called Mndeni Meats. In 1986 the brothers purchased Bluff Meat Supply back from Wholesome Meats.

Later that year, Tony Robinson joined the business as a partner. Under Bruce, Mark and Tony’s leader- ship, the business grew. Unfortunately, in 1991 Bruce sadly passed away in a motor vehicle accident. Mark and Tony continued to lead by example working long hours and to the highest standard. At this time, each butchery store operated as a separate entity that made up the larger company. The success of each store was thus largely dependent on the leadership of the branch managers who were incentivised by being made partners in the business.

In 2000 the company purchased their first factory to expand into processed meats. In 2007 an additional factory was built in Springfield Park with another larger factory following in 2012. That same year the company took on an equity partner, RMB Ventures, which proved to be successful for both parties.

STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE
Speaking of his successes, Mark says that he is driven by striving for excellence in all spheres of business. “It gives me great pleasure when I walk into a store and everything is laid out neatly, counters correctly packed and staff correctly dressed. That is a win and that’s what we as a business are striving for – to always better the customer shopping experience – and to consider all aspects of the service offered. That is what I call accomplishment.”

While the business has grown over the years, this has not been without challenges. Currently, says Mark, finding appropriately trained and highly skilled store management is difficult. The business has thus sought to identify people with potential and train them internally. Mark added that the looting that occurred in KZN in 2021 had a large impact on their company with eight stores damaged, one store burnt, and a large factory burnt down.

“This was probably the single biggest catastrophe in our business’s history. But as with most South Africans, we too are resilient. Most effected stores were back up and running within a few days. The last one had to be rebuilt, which took a year. The factory took five months to restore, which was an excellent accomplishment,” elaborates Mark.

THE HARD YARDS
Speaking of advice to people entering into business, Mark highlights the importance of doing ‘the hard yards’. “I have found that many young people today don’t fully grasp the commitment required for success, you need to be persistent, success doesn’t come overnight.”

Mark’s father has always been a source of inspiration for him. “My father wasn’t flashy and he valued hard work, loyalty, honesty and family. I had the benefit of sitting around the supper table and speaking about business in general with him. My own son has joined our business and through his commitment I see that I have passed on the same values and business outlook.”

In terms of factors that influence success, Mark commented that managing expenditure is important. “I call the business the ‘golden goose’. That’s what’s going to make your wealth, not the Porsche in your garage. Get your business on a good footing and pay off all your debts. In the beginning, if we couldn’t pay cash for a luxury, we didn’t buy it.”

He added, “You’ve got to be passionate about what you’re doing. You need to conduct your business ethically and honestly. I aspire to ensure that the business’s brand is loved, successful and one that people look up to.”

Mark explains the overall management of a business is what is responsible for creating a successful business. “Life is about choices – a great deal of it is up to you. You need to make the best possible decisions and hopefully they are the right decisions.” Mark’s key motto is: “There’s no bad business, only bad management.” Living by example, Mark is proof that this motto holds true.