His outlet, which sells coffee and sandwiches, has already become a local institution. Gamal Ramadan has been at the helm of Cappuccino since 2003. But he is planning more. ‘A long-cherished dream will soon be fulfilled: a smoothie bar. And all thanks to a new line of credit provided by Swishfund.’
Familiar faces and new customers alike have no trouble finding our outlet’, says Gamal, who believes that Cappuccino’s apparent magnetic attraction has something to do with the special way that he roasts the coffee beans.
The shopping centre in which Cappuccino can be found underwent significant refurbishment between 2015 and 2017. ‘Things were not so good for a while. We had to move to a new spot. Under those circumstances, potential customers are left searching. But now that the refurbishment is complete we’re back in pretty much our old haunt, and we’ve built up a great new outlet in a prime location to watch the world go by.’
After the refurbishment of the shopping centre the new outlet was just a shell. Gamal was faced with the task of building the company up again, from scratch. Among other things, he needed a new extractor system that met the latest requirements and new furnishings. ‘I got rid of a lot of the furnishings from the old unit. A new location calls for new fixtures and fittings. And you don’t want to be skimping on the little things’, explains Gamal.
But new things cost money, and Gamal didn’t have any start-up capital. So he turned to Swishfund. ‘The money was in my account within four working days. It was that fast. And that was the reason that I went to them. They seem to be there to help. I was given personal attention, and I know where to turn if I have any questions.’
Repayment is easy. They recoup an amount (including premium) each day in proportion to the takings. ‘The advantage of this way of doing things is that everything is paid off within six months. It’s so easy, and leaves you with nothing to worry about.’
Gamal has already reaped the rewards of the injection of credit. The new equipment and more extensive menu has had a startling effect on turnover. That positive experience started the enthusiastic businessman thinking about the possibility of bringing a long-cherished dream to fruition: a smoothie bar! ‘You have to move with the times. People want to eat healthy, natural products. There will be a completely new refrigerated serve-over counter, so that we can keep the products fresh. And then there’ll be the professional mixers.’ The building work will be starting soon, thanks to a new line of credit extended by Swishfund.
