The Founder Files The Distributor Behind The World's Biggest Brands - Jan Parmentier, Supernova Brands
What does it take to become a trusted supplier for the world’s biggest brands and retailers? In this episode, we sit down with Jan Parmentier, CEO and co-founder of Supernova Brands, a value-added distributor that supplies nearly all South Africa’s big retail chains. With over 1,500 products in circulation, Jan has spent the past decade building a deep understanding of the import/export industry. Now, they’re expanding into six Southern African countries while navigating the complexities of supply chain operations and market dynamics. Jan shares the challenges of shaping a strong company identity, the pivotal rebrand that unlocked new opportunities, and the personal journey of his co-founder stepping away and bringing on a private equity partner. From navigating industry complexity to lessons learned along the way, this episode offers a fascinating dive into the world of retail and distribution. Tune in to hear Jan’s insights on growth, resilience, and what it takes to succeed in one of the most demanding sectors of business.
----
This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.
Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/
----
To support The Founder Files:
🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE
⭐ Leave a review right here
💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts
----
00:00 Introduction 03:38 What is Supernova Brands? 11:13 The reason behind the B2B vs D2C approach 19:12 Who is the main customer? 24:32 Getting Disney and other big brands onboard and how it works 31:21 How Jan scaled such a complicated business? 41:31 The founding story of Supernova Brands 49:00 Finding your identity as a business 54:26 Rebranding to Supernova brands and what that changed 01:00:11 Navigating co-founder share exit to private equity 01:07:46 How did the private equity firm help? 01:12:40 Choosing the right investor 01:25:24 What’s in store for Supernova Brands 01:27:53 Keeping entrepreneurship exciting