A Manitoba apparel company has grown over the past four decades from humble beginnings on the boardwalk of Grand Beach to today’s expansive international reach.
Ash Modha, president and CEO of Mondetta Clothing, shared the story of the company’s early days peddling T-shirts at Grand Beach followed by a steep ascent into a globally recognized brand — with plenty of ups and downs along the way.
A crowd gathered to hear his story on Nov. 19 at Torque Brewing for a WTC Talks event, sponsored by Business Development Bank of Canada and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. WTC Talks is a monthly gathering facilitated through World Trade Centre Winnipeg to connect the business community and share stories of trade and growth.
Reflecting on his origins, Modha told the crowd that is a refugee whose family was exiled from Uganda in the 1970s before eventually making their way to Manitoba. Even as a youngster, he always had entrepreneurial inclinations, starting first with a business card company followed by a stint selling T-shirts as a teen, along with his brother, cousin and friend, in 1986 and 1987. By 1988, they came up with the concept for the wildly popular flag sweatshirts that took the world by storm. The company, which they named Mondetta, continued to soar while they completed university.
“The business took off in 1990. We went from $10,000 of sales to $200,000 of sales to $3 million to $13 million literally within a two-year period,” Modha said. “I was in China, India, producing product all over the world. We hit it off with so many suppliers, and a lot of them we still work with today.”
With the company’s 40-year milestone approaching, Modha reflects on how they weathered four recessions plus two private equity flips before buying back the business. They saw the company through extreme highs and abysmal lows.
“We were selling in Europe, Asia, the U.S. — everywhere you can imagine. At that time, the product had taken off and we were starting to see this excitement through it,” Modha said.
“But then, after a while, it just cratered. In ‘95 we could see that first start of it — and then when it fell, it fell hard. The business fell by 50 per cent, 60 per cent, 70 per cent. We had to recalibrate.”
In 1996, Crocus Investment Fund provided a $1.2-million capital infusion back into the company.
“We had to build the business back up from 1996 to 2000. We set up an office in Hong Kong, recalibrated the entire supply chain and drove the business,” he said. “We went to private label, went to corporate. That was a dark moment.”
The second dark moment for the company came in 2015. After Mondetta skyrocketed the previous year, they decided to sell to a private equity firm in the U.S. on the condition that they could never move the business out of Manitoba. The next years were fraught with disagreements, so Modha and his partners eventually bought back the business.
“That was the worst time,” he said. “Never sell to private equity.”
On the flipside, Modha has felt moments of pride in the venture over the decades. They’ve managed to act as futurists and pivot the business to stay ahead of fashion trends. At the same time, they’ve positioned themselves as environmental leaders in the apparel industry.
“We’ve always talked about operational excellence and how to build the most robust supply chain in the world. We’re in 15 countries around the world with 55 factory partners. We have a tremendously complicated supply chain,” he said.
“We’re working with makers that have 3,000 employees and we’re trying to create paradigm shifts in their supply chain. We’re telling them they have to go completely net zero by 2035. We’ve got goals and targets for them over the next 10 years and they’re meeting them — and they’re excited about it.”
Mondetta spends $4 million per year in compliance efforts, bolstered by an 11-person team dedicated to the task. Keeping ahead of the curve, they map all their greenhouse gas emissions throughout their entire supply chain, while also investing in policies and processes to ensure compliance with laws and regulations — including those that haven’t been enacted yet. For Modha, it’s all about bringing the most compliant product to the customer.
“We’re the only apparel company in North America that’s actually doing a full supply chain mapping from Tier 1 all the way down to Tier 7 using block chain technology that actually will map everything from the aggregator of the cottons all the way up to the manufacturing process,” he said.
“And by 2028, it will be all in a portal where a consumer can just use a QR code to see our entire supply chain. That type of information is paramount as we move forward because it’s going to be needed. If you want to work with companies in Europe, that’s what they’re going to insist on.”
For budding entrepreneurs, Modha stressed the importance of perseverance throughout their journey.
“I don’t believe in giving up. I don’t believe in ‘no.’ There’s a roadmap to get from A to Z, and the road is going to zigzag all over the place,” he said. “Most people just give up. Well, everything is hard. You’ve got to keep going.”
Looking ahead, Mondetta Clothing plans to open retail stores for both the Mondetta brand as well as a new luxury brand of clothing called Modern Ambition. The first three stores will be located in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary.
“Retail is coming back. For the ma-and-pa stores that sell our product, their businesses are growing,” he said. “It’s fascinating because I think the consumer is starting to revert back. That’s one of the big trends we’re seeing.”
And while the company continues to expand its worldwide reach, Modha always keeps Manitoba at the forefront of his plans.
“We have a special place for Manitoba. It’s been kind to us. … Yeah, we could be in other places, but the one thing we continue to have here as Manitobans is an ability and smarts that we don’t push,” he said. “We’re humble, and I think that’s what makes us great. We can run the best businesses out of here and they are world-class businesses. We’re not cool but we are phenomenal.”
He also foresees the Port of Churchill as a game-changer for Manitoba, bringing more opportunities on the horizon.
“I think the future is very bright for this province versus any other province in the country — and even in the U.S.,” he said. “I’m very optimistic for us.”
To learn more about Mondetta Clothing, visit mondetta.com. To learn more about World Trade Centre Winnipeg, visit wtcwinnipeg.com.
The next WTC Talks event will take place on Feb. 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company. The event, sponsored by Manitoba Environmental Industries Association, will feature the entrepreneurial story of Paul Bauer from Miller Environmental.
Another WTC Winnipeg opportunity is available for those who are ready to expand their global trade expertise. In partnership with FITT, WTC Winnipeg is offering FITTskills courses that provide insight on international trade. Coming up, the Feasibility of International Trade course is being offered on Tuesdays in February 2026 from 4 to 8 p.m.
Other courses and opportunities are listed in WTC Winnipeg’s events calendar, including the 2026 WTCA Global Business Forum that will take place in Philadelphia from April 19 to 22.
