Saladmaster Dealership Wins UK Business Award

Contact:

Alice Lomas, Divisional Marketing Manager
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Saladmaster UK
email: [email protected]

Stafford, England (November 5, 2018) – A Saladmaster Dealership has been named “Partnership of the Year” at the UK’s Annual Direct Selling Awards. 

The national awards, hosted by the Direct Selling Association (DSA), the trade body for direct selling in the UK, recognize the best individuals in the industry at an annual ceremony held this year at the Leicester Marriott Hotel. The Direct Selling Partnership of the Year Award celebrates the best direct selling couples, partnerships or families who have built their direct selling business together. 

Paul and Jheng Dilag run Saladmaster Dealership MP & JK Star, located in Glasgow. The couple, who previously had careers in nursing (Jheng) and operations (Paul), established their Saladmaster Dealership—the first in Scotland—in 2010, and have since grown the business to become one of the UK’s top three performing dealerships. Focusing on sales of healthy cooking products, the husband and wife team put their success down to “the 3P’s of Patience, Perseverance, Persistence.” While Jheng focuses on marketing, Paul manages the operations side, with both insisting the other brings an equally vital contribution to the business. Their children Carlo and Katrina also help out at cooking demonstrations and during school holidays.

When their names were announced as winners, their shock and surprise was endearing to see. 

“We are just speechless,” said Jheng, “we simply cannot believe we have won such a prestigious award. All the hard work, our vision, our belief in the Saladmaster business opportunity has paid off. To be chosen from a group of the nation’s top direct sellers is very overwhelming, and we’re very proud. This award has made us take a moment to actually reflect on our journey and all we’ve achieved, and to thank all those who believed in us.”

Andy Smith, Chairman of the Direct Selling Association, comments: 

“Paul and Jheng have demonstrated an impressive work ethic from the day they established their business, and it is a testament to their hard work that they have been able to successfully grow their business so effectively over the last eight years. It’s clear that their partnership allows them both to bring to use their complementary skills and talents, and I’m delighted to offer my congratulations.”

Another Saladmaster Dealership was selected as a finalist in the “Young Direct Seller of he Year” category. Carla Moniz, aged 30, was chosen by the judges as runner-up for her commitment to developing her business while raising a small baby. Saladmaster UK’s Head Office is based in Stafford, and oversees 48 UK Dealerships.

The award judges included journalist Jo Thornhill, who writes for The Mail on Sunday, and Paul Dobson, former Code Administrator for the DSA (2001 – 2016), and member of the Ethics Committees of both Seldia (European Federation of Direct Selling Associations) and WFDSA (World Federation of Direct Selling Associations). 

Also, at this year’s award ceremony, the DSA asked each member company to submit the name of their “Star of Direct Selling.” This was to be one person who embodies everything Saladmaster stands for, and we chose to recognize Executive Sales Director Mark Jones. Saladmaster President Ayo Olaseinde welcomed Mark on stage to present him with this award, thanking him for his commitment, and everything he’s brought to Saladmaster. On receiving his award Mark said, “I’m blessed and humbled to be part of an industry that trains, develops and promotes people to be the best that they can be.” Ayo commented, “I have had the pleasure of recruiting and watching Mark grow. One of his great characteristics is his selfless attitude to helping others. He definitely changes lives and continues to grow himself and others.”

Direct selling in the UK:

• The UK direct selling sector contributes an estimated £2.1 billion annually to the UK economy.

• There are around 425,000 people involved in direct selling in the UK.

• Direct selling is an industry driven by women; approximately 90% of those working in the industry are women, and 80% of direct sellers have children.

• People typically use direct selling to supplement their income; approximately 63% of direct sellers have another full (42%) or part time (21%) job. Although there is a wide range of earnings in direct selling, a 2018 European survey by Ipsos MORI found that the mean average earnings of the 3,311 UK respondents was £372.95 per month.

• 58% of direct sellers work less than 8 hours per week on their direct selling business.

• Over a third (34%) of the British population have bought through direct selling.

• It is easy and cheap to start your own direct selling business—on average it costs around £100, and many DSA member companies are free to join.

About the Direct Selling Association (DSA):

• The Direct Selling Association (UK) is the recognized trade body for the direct selling industry in the UK. Its membership encompasses approximately two thirds of all companies operating in the sector today, and includes some of the best-known and most-loved brands in the industry.

• The direct selling retail channel accounts for sales in excess of £2.1 billion every year and includes a wide range of consumer goods and services, from skincare to cosmetics to nutritional products.

• The DSA is committed to upholding standards in the industry, and to promoting and encouraging best practice.

About Saladmaster

Saladmaster has revolutionized healthy cooking by offering premium products through a unique cooking experience. For more than 70 years, Saladmaster has changed lives by empowering Cooking Coaches to achieve their entrepreneurial goals in more than 40 countries. As a multimillion-dollar company, Saladmaster’s state-of-the-art cookware is manufactured in the USA by parent company Regal Ware, Inc., which is located in Kewaskum, WI, and whose vision is “to enrich lives by bringing families together.” https://saladmaster.com