Durban - Leonard Baumann, the owner of Bakers Limited, the company that gave South Africans the much-loved Choice Assorted range of biscuits, celebrated his 100th birthday last month.
Baumann is also arguably Durban’s oldest driver, as you will still find him driving his grandfather’s Mercedes Benz SL to his office every morning.
The centenarian from Cowies Hill took over the company from his grandfather, John Baumann – who started the Choice Assorted range of biscuits – one of many businesses he has been involved in over the years.
“My grandfather began a legacy for us as he started the famously known biscuit-and-bread hub and the favourite Bakers biscuits ‘Choice Assorted’ range, which is a favourite in many homes in South Africa.
“This is our original brand,” said Baumann. He was born in eMpangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal and moved to Durban to attend Durban Prep Primary school when he was 7 years old. He later attended Durban High School. Soon after matriculating, in 1945 he moved to Johannesburg where he studied for a degree in accounting.
He later returned to KwaZulu-Natal. “After graduating I went back to Durban to join the family business. At that stage, the business had grown and my grandfather had opened additional branches in Cape Town, Pinetown and Transkei.
I was sent to the Durban branch. We had 80 trucks leaving the depot every morning to deliver bread and biscuits across the city,” said Baumann. During a visit to the Cape Town branch of the family business, he met his wife Wendy Hill through one of his cousins.
“I wanted to enter a dance competition and I needed a partner. My cousin knew Wendy and he introduced us. Shortly thereafter we married and then had two daughters. Wendy was the love of my life. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 93.
I still live in the same house which we bought 63 years ago,” he said. Throughout Baumman’s career, the company continued to expand. Two additional branches were opened in Pinetown and another in Port Elizabeth. He eventually owned and managed all nine factories.
Baumann created the Strawberry Whirls biscuits, a round biscuit with a cream-and-jam centre. “I love the taste of strawberry jam and I wanted to incorporate those flavours into the Baker’s biscuits, which I did.
“This helped me create an original Baker’s biscuit that still makes its way into homes today,” he said. In the early days, the company made it into a newspaper’s top 100 businesses and the brand was placed in the 15th position.
“I still keep every copy which was printed in the newspapers. Besides my hearing which has gone over time due to my age, I am grateful I do not suffer from any illness which many younger than me do. I am as fit as a fox,” said Baumann. While running the company, he was approached to become the chancellor of the then-Natal Technikon.
“I accepted the offer and provided my services for free. My duties included ensuring that the technikon ran smoothly. I stayed in the position for 10 years,” said Baumann.
In 1982, he was approached by Fino Foods to buy into a bakery in KwaMashu. “I grabbed the opportunity with both hands, but we had an issue with water and had to call in a friend who managed to seek out a water supply in the area for us. I owned a 50% stake in the bakery.
“I later became involved in Lifeline, an organisation which helped people who suffer from mental illness. It took three years for it to plant its feet as the government was hesitant about supporting such NGOs,” he said.
He also ran the Wimpy franchise across the country for seven years and has contributed tremendously to job creation and growing the economy. While Baumann has retired, he goes to the office every day. “I wake up every day and go to ‘work’. This is my safe space. I still need to take care of the business finances. I need to check how far we have gone,” he said.
His advice to young entrepreneurs is to remain humble. “Being humble and remembering why you are in the business make you a successful businessman. Once you lose being humble, you will not go far in life,” he said. Baumann is writing a book which will be released later this year.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE