The first thing that greets the visitor at the Oryx Desert Salt premises, even before entering, is a welcoming array of planters filled with lush green life. Indigenous plants, succulents, pretty flowers. This is not the result of hired landscape services; but more about that in a moment.

The foyer is inviting with plenty to look at; arrays of photographs – of staff, Oryx awards, special celebratory moments. Once inside the warehouse, however, it’s all industrious busyness. This is a working space of packers, pickers, quality control and food safety; all the operational components that make for a productive warehouse, where efficiency, inventory accuracy and team work matter. It feels friendly and there’s a cheerful vibe.  That energy can only have a positive impact on the salt they’re packing.

Heading up a team of 15 people is Production Manager Shafiek Lakay, who has been with Oryx Desert Salt since the very earliest days; October 2012.  He’s tall, with an easy air as he guides me around the warehouse, but not before he makes me put on the incredibly flattering, mandatory mob cap. He takes me through grinders being filled by hand, packing, quality control, incoming deliveries and dispatch as orders are sent out for delivery. Waste management (for example cracked bottles) is one of those unseen yet inevitable parts of the production flow that Shafiek takes care of.

Previously, he’d worked his way up from clothes ironer at a fashion company to production manager. When the company liquidated, Shafiek became Samantha Skyring’s (Oryx Desert Salt Founder and CEO) right hand man and first employee.

‘It couldn’t have been better training for what I do now,’ he says, referring to the many aspects of working with a warehouse team all doing very different tasks.  He’s a single point of contact for the team who depend on him to have solutions when things don’t go according to the plan. We laugh at the idea he has to be octopus-like from his desk – with many tentacles in many places.

And things do go wrong; misunderstandings between staff members, tasks taking longer than they should, an unexpected hold-up.  Recent freak storm weather here in Cape Town resulted in building damage, flooding and falling wreckage which could have been disastrous had staff not been told to stay at home. It’s all in a day’s work.

 What isn’t in a day’s work is what happens in the early hours of Tuesday and Friday mornings.  The factory normally opens at 8am but Shafiek arrives shortly after 7am on those days.

‘I live in an apartment building,’ he explains. ‘where there’s very little greenery around. I love plants and so when Samantha initiated the planter box project, I decided to get involved.’ In the early morning hours Shafiek can be found tending to his plants, watering and nurturing them.  Visitors notice; it gives a cared-for welcome to what could otherwise be a sterile and stark environment.

What does Shafiek enjoy most about working in Oryx?  ‘I love the product, the people and…’ there’s pride in his voice as he says, ‘the daily MBU’s.’ MBU’s? His colleague Gladys passes by and is invited to explain. Mini Business Units. Every morning, all department heads are called together for a 15-minute standing meeting. There’s a white board to track issues and each has an opportunity to let the rest of the business know what’s going on in their department that may impact other areas. Company-wide communications has definitely improved.

Does Shafiek have a philosophy he lives by? ‘Oh yes,’ he says. ‘it’s Que Sera Sera, what will be, will be.’

It’s acceptance for what cannot be changed. And also an optimism that expects the best outcome. As Shafiek added, ‘there’s always a silver lining.’

That level-headed, balanced approach is what keeps the Oryx Desert Salt warehouse productive and a good place to work.