Nabi Saleh is an Australian entrepreneur and commodities trader known as an elder of the Hillsong Church

Hillsong Church

Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...

, and for starting Gloria Jean's Coffees in Australia.

Biography

Saleh was born on the same day of the same year as Gloria Jean's co-owner Peter Irvine. He was born in Iran and grew up in various countries including India. His family background in involved in the tea business (from his mother's side). He is married to Angela with daughters Nicole and Danielle, both of whom also work for Gloria Jean's. He holds a masters degree in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from ?

Saleh followed his wife-to-be Angela to Australia in 1973. Lacking local work experience, he went to Papua New Guinea to help establish tea plantations with Australian New Guinea (ANG) Holdings. He oversaw the marketing and manufacturing of tea and coffee in Papua New Guinea and continues to consult with the Australian and PNG governments.

From 1978, Saleh developed Asco, a medium-sized coffee company from revenues of $250,000 to $15 million. Asco was then acquired by Burns Philp. He then started Columbia Coffee and Tea in 1983, Tea and Coffee Traders in 1986, and in 1989 established Maranatha Import Exports, representing ConAgra Foods in Australia. Maranatha supplied supermarket chains Woolworths, Coles, Franklins and David's Holdings.

Saleh also worked for Traveland International, where he was responsible for the procurement of hotel rooms on a worldwide basis.

In 1995, he started Gloria Jeans.
In 1996, he formed Jireh International Pty Ltd, which now holds the global rights to Gloria Jeans franchising.

• Buys direct from growers, pays a fair price, supports Rainforest Alliance because he believes all companies should be socially minded for the benefit of humanity.
• traded commodities (coffee, tea and cocoa)
• grows own coffee trees in backyard

Saleh became a Christian in 1978 at a Kenneth Copeland convention, is a Pentecostal Christan, and is a board member of Hillsong Church.

Gloria Jean's history

• offered master franchise for Australia in 1993
• 1995 had a dream which led to the vision, mission and values of the company; bought the master franchise for Australia
• November 1996 - opened first two stores (Miranda & East Gardens); losing money, ineffective model (china and crockery oriented)
• Changed model over next 18 months
• in 2000 bought the NZ franchise
• in 2004/2005 bought global brand
• now in more than 50 nations with 30 operational
• Original founder was Gloria Jean Kvetko (hairdresser but passionate about coffee)
• built it to just under 150 stores and sold to Brothers Gourmet Coffee for $40M
• Saleh's wife Angela and daughter, Nicole, own equal shares in Tea & Coffee Traders, which owns 50% of Jireh (the owner of Gloria Jean's).

Other leadership roles

• Director of Southern Cross College of the AOG
• Director of Jerry Savelle Ministries International
• Director of Kenneth Copeland Ministries Eagle Mountain International Church
• Gourmet Foods Australia
• Petra Gourmet Coffee
• Brothers Gourmet Coffees
• Maranatha Import Export (which sells private-label coffee to supermarkets)
• Director of Tea & Coffee Traders

External links

• The coffee kings; Sunday, 24 April 2005; http://businesssunday.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=47402