The Universal Kitchens story: Founder and CEO van Breda on faith, family and grit

Clinton van Breda has never had a boss, and in 21 years at the head of Universal Kitchens he says he has never installed a kitchen himself. He started at about 19 with a long-base bakkie his father chose instead of the double cab he wanted, and an overdraft secured by his father's R500,000. In this sponsored interview, he told Alec Hogg about the post-dated cheques that carried the business through 2008, opening in George weeks before COVID, the push into luxury kitchens against the imported brands, and the May flood at a newly occupied Malmesbury factory that held up payments on eight big jobs. He also explained why he chose not to expand his luxury showrooms nationally, and what his 19-year-old son is now building at the other end of the market.