The businesses that matter most are those that continue to make a difference long after their founders have stepped aside

The success of Service Foods can be traced to the vision of one man who arrived in New Zealand with little more than determination, an entrepreneurial spirit and an unwavering belief in hard work.

When Suresh Balar, known equally well as Stan Balar, and his wife Vicki settled in Christchurch in 1983, they began with a small grocery store.

Like countless migrant families, they were building a new life from the ground up. What distinguished Stan was not simply his willingness to work hard, but his ability to recognise opportunities and steadily build a business around trust, reliability and long-term relationships.

Over four decades, that modest enterprise evolved into Service Foods, one of New Zealand's largest family-owned foodservice distribution companies.

The business today supplies thousands of customers across the country and has become a respected name throughout the hospitality and foodservice sector.

Growth, however, tells only part of the story.

Those who have worked with Stan speak as readily about his integrity as they do about his commercial success. His leadership was defined by consistency, humility and a genuine commitment to building relationships with customers, suppliers and staff.

Those values became embedded in the culture of Service Foods and remain central to its success today.

The company has also become an example of successful succession planning. Having stepped back from day-to-day operations, Stan has watched with pride as his sons, Aneil and Nikul Balar, continue to expand the business while preserving the principles established by their parents.

Outside the boardroom, Stan has maintained a lifelong commitment to philanthropy. Guided by family traditions of giving, he has supported educational, healthcare and community initiatives in both India and New Zealand, believing that business success carries a responsibility to contribute to society.

His story mirrors that of many migrants who arrived with ambition and resilience, yet few have transformed those qualities into a business that has had such a lasting impact on New Zealand's economy and food industry.

The Indian Weekender Businessperson of the Year Award recognise leadership, enterprise and enduring achievements. Stan Balar's journey stands as a reminder that the strongest businesses are not build only on commercial success, but also on values that continue to inspire long after the founder steps away.