Before Solina (Mudli) Naidu created a food brand and a social media community of about 350,000 people, food was a language of love for her, which she absorbed at home. Naidu, who is a content creator, social media manager, recipe developer, and founder of Perima’s Kitchen, shared her story of turning childhood memories into a growing brand dedicated to food, family, heritage, and simplifying the cooking process for others.
Naidu, born and raised in Chatsworth, recounted how much food played a role in her childhood. She recalls learning to cook at an early age and being able to prepare an 'excellent' meaty curry by twelve years old. Since her mother, Kalaiq (Ann), worked, she sometimes had to take on cooking duties, although her mother often cooked in the morning so there would be food when she returned home.
She also remembers growing up surrounded by her late 'Perims' (her mother's older sisters) and her mother's younger sister, who were often in the kitchen, preparing food and providing sustenance for everyone during family celebrations. These early experiences laid the foundation for her culinary journey. Furthermore, she worked on a luxury cruise liner as a spa manager, which allowed her to visit over 60 countries.
'The experience of encountering so many different cultures and cuisines broadened my perspective on food. It also gave me a deeper understanding of the tastes and culinary heritage I grew up with in Durban,' she noted.
Entrepreneurship
Naidu, who resides in Durban, stated that the idea for Perima’s Kitchen arose during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. She noticed that many people were at home and did not know how to cook. Following her daughter's advice, she began filming the dishes she prepared and sharing recipes online. Initially, there was no business plan behind it; it was purely a desire to help people during a difficult time, which fostered an incredible connection with her community.
She named the brand Perima’s Kitchen after her mother's older sisters, as most of her knowledge about food, family, and expressing love through cooking came from the women around her. Later, content creation opened up many other opportunities for her. She collaborated with brands and was selected for programs such as TikTok Rising Voices and YouTube Black Voices, which gave her invaluable insight into content creation, social media, and digital marketing. This knowledge subsequently helped her assist other businesses in developing their digital platforms.
As her community grew, people constantly asked her for a cookbook. However, she decided to create something different—something that would allow her to almost be in the kitchen with the audience and share something deeply connected to her cooking style. This led to the creation of All-in-One Perima’s Kitchen oils. She explained that each such oil combines all the necessary spices into one main blend, including ginger and garlic, so the user does not have to measure and balance many individual spices themselves.
Her combined social media community, which she affectionately calls her family ('PerFam'), numbers about 350,000 people across various platforms. What started as a way to help people quickly turned into something much bigger—a community built around food, learning, and connection. Although she doesn't believe there was one moment when she thought, 'this is what I should do,' she remembers the first time someone told her that she had changed someone's life through what she shared. That moment stayed with her, and then she started hearing it again and again from different people.
She emphasized that the thought that something as simple as sharing love and food knowledge could have such a significant impact on another person's life—whether by helping with cooking skills, reconnecting with heritage, or simply easing daily life—was incredibly rewarding.
Key Achievements
Naidu described the transition of Perima’s Kitchen from an idea in her home kitchen to having products on national store shelves as a surreal and satisfying moment. More significant, however, has been everything that followed: receiving status as the first spice brand approved by the South African Heart and Stroke Foundation, recognition as 'Proudly South African,' obtaining SANHA Halaal certification, and both of her All-in-One oils for chicken and lamb winning double gold awards.
For her, these awards are not just honors. They confirm what she aimed to create: a product that simplifies cooking while remaining uncompromising on quality, purity, authentic taste, and the ingredients used in the food.
Overcoming Challenges
As a woman in business, Naidu noted that there are times when it is necessary to clearly assert one's voice, vision, and the value one brings. She admitted there may have been moments when she had to work harder to be taken seriously, especially when entering markets completely new to her. Nevertheless, she tried not to build her path around proving anything to other people, preferring for the work to speak for itself.
She had to learn to trust herself, ask tough questions, and stand confidently by the decisions that matter to her and her brand. She notes that when someone tells her that her creation made their life easier or inspired them to try something they never thought of, it reminds her why she keeps moving forward.
Empowering Women and Philanthropy
She expressed hope that more women would move from being talents behind the food to owning and building businesses around it. There are many incredibly talented women creating products in their home kitchens, passing down recipes, knowledge, and traditions inherited over generations. However, turning this talent into a commercially viable business requires access to funding, production, retail opportunities, mentorship, and the right connections, and these doors are not always easy to open. She would like to see more opportunities to help women bridge this gap.
To help in this direction, she recently participated in the launch of the Nelson Mandela Youth Centre Culinary Club in Chatsworth—the city where she grew up. Returning to her hometown and having the opportunity to share what she learned—from spices and cooking techniques to entrepreneurship and her personal journey—was very meaningful to her. Seeing different generations gather, learn, and connect through food, she remembered how powerful a community can be.
Additionally, she is negotiating with non-profit organizations on projects aimed at ensuring nutrition for low-income populations and guaranteeing children access to healthy, nutritious food. This is very close to her heart, and she sincerely wants to dedicate more time and resources from Perima’s Kitchen to this area as it grows.
Future Prospects
Naidu, who has two children—Shivayah, 17, and Yahvi, 13—stated her desire to continue developing Perima’s Kitchen beyond the current two products. She mentioned new blends, new formats, and exciting ideas she is working on, all focused on one goal: making authentic, delicious cooking simpler and more accessible without sacrificing quality. However, her dream was never just about putting another spice product on the shelf. She wants Perima’s Kitchen to become a brand that educates, inspires, and helps people understand what they are cooking, reconnecting with food and heritage while adapting to modern lifestyles. What is currently on the shelf represents a much larger vision. She feels they have only just begun.
She also wants her children to see that you can build something from an idea while staying true to your values, adapting when plans change, and creating something meaningful. She hopes that another woman, another mother, or someone sitting at home with an idea will see her journey and think, 'if she could start with what she had and build something significant, maybe I can too.' Her advice: start with what you have, take that first step, and allow yourself to learn and grow along the way. Don't let the fear of failure hold you back.