Vinod Patel Co Ltd - Suva, Fiji

Vinod Patel & Co. Ltd is a family business, named after the founder of the company, the eldest brother of a family originating from Ba town in Fiji. Vinod Patel left school at the age of 16 to work so that his earnings could go towards supplementing the family’s income. Less than a year later, his younger brother Umakant Patel left school and joined the workforce for the same reason. After working at hardware stores in Ba and nearby towns, the brothers thought it was time that they had a business of their own.
April, 1962 was the inception of the first Vinod Patel store in Ba Town. Business was good for Vinod Patel & Co Ltd. As other brothers joined the business, the time was right to expand and open a second branch in Rakiraki in 1965, a town without any hardware store. From then on it was a matter of seeking out opportunity and working hard to make it a success.