Bula! Fiji Kava to be rolled out in Coles stores under new deal
Australians will now be able to get a taste of Fiji from the supermarket after a Brisbane company struck a major deal with Coles.
Drinking kava will be available in Coles stores
Fiji Kava will be able to distribute a 50 gram “drinking kava” through 700 Coles stores.
It follows a pilot program of the product last year which paved the way for it to be sold in Australia for the first time in 15 years.
Kava has a mild sedative effect and is a ceremonial drink in the Pacific islands. Fiji Kava is the only foreign company licensed by the Fijian Government to operate in the kava industry.
It is marketed as a relaxant and as a way to improve sleep.
It has been available in the US for many years and has led to the creation of about 100 kava bars.
The company’s chief executive, Anthony Noble, said there was no reason to think the success in the US would not be replicated in Australia.
He said the distribution deal with Coles was a critical step in increasing the availability of kava for Australian consumers.
Other kava products have been sold in Coles stores for the past 20 months.
“We believe this new product formal will allow more consumers to experience kava at an extremely competitive price point,” Noble said.
“In the USA market, kava sales significantly outstrip capsule and tablet sales and there is no reason to think that in Australia a similarly strong demand will be seen.”
