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<p><strong>By: Anuva Investments</strong></p>

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<p>Most businesses have been on one end or the other of the scale during this global crisis. On the one hand, some have been fortunate enough to be producing a service or product that has been in lockdown demand while others fall on the dismal end of the scale, suspended and wading their way through the muddy waters. </p>

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<p>If anything, COVID-19 has tested our resilience as business leaders and in true South African style, companies have demonstrated grit and resilience during this blind-side of a pandemic, finding opportunity and a means to adapt their businesses, if only to keep their staff employed.</p>

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<p>Speaking at an online investment report-back meeting, Neill Hobbs, CEO of Section 12J investment company Anuva Investments, said that assessing and considering their options early was key to the survival of businesses within the groups’ portfolio.   “ We’ve been fortunate to have a team of progressive and agile managers who put their heads together, and almost overnight formulated and actioned what we’ve coined our Shift and Accelerate strategy. We’ve adjusted, adapted and joined the links to initiate not only a workable, but profitable strategy for our investments and businesses to survive and, in some cases, thrive.”</p>

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<p>According to Hobbs, an honest assessment, followed by a swift adjustment was more important than they realised.  “It’s about analysing expenditure, harnessing cash flow, and developing new streams of revenue by driving new initiatives and finding new opportunities,” he explains.</p>

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<p>Anuva Investments recognised opportunities in the manufacturing and supply of essential medical supplies and converted their supply chain at Cape Mohair and Mastercare to meet the demands of personal protective equipment (medical masks). The fund also invested a timeous R20 million capital injection into medical supply company Biodelta. The company, which produces and distributes health and wellness products, quickly become a crucial supplier in the fight against COVID-19, extending its product range and manufacturing focus to deliver much-needed key products. Virus test kits, three-layer surgical masks, sanitisers and immune booster supplements were fast-tracked in their production output thanks to the capital advanced to fund the strategy. </p>

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<p>The news was clearly music to investors’ ears as Hobbs concluded, “We have been fortunate as investment managers in that we realised the potential economic devastation of the pandemic before it became an actuality. Many of our board members are number-crunchers or bean counters and alerted us to the daunting realities COVID-19 was ushering in. In the spirit of 12J under these circumstances, job preservation, the safety and security of our people have been front of mind.”</p>

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