Fijian Delights to Take Home

Alcohol

There’s a lot more to drink in Fiji than the iconic local lager, Fiji Bitter. Rum Co of Fiji‘s exquisite range of rums have been racking up international awards since they started the distillery in 1980. Operating out of their Lautoka base, Rum Co uses locally produced molasses, pristine island water and the best local ingredients to make their rum. Their Fiji Bati rum range (Spiced and Dark) is especially good; the best in the South Pacific. No base spirit is used in the rum which is made from sugar cane-based products and local botanicals sourced from farmers and villages all over Viti Levu.

Fiji is also home to one of the world’s highest rated new-world gins. The Distillery Co’s Blue Turtle Gin is the first and only craft gin ever made in Fiji, and it’s already won a Gold Medal at the World Gin Awards and a Gold Medal at The American Distillers Institute Awards. There’s everything from Kava to Layalaya (natural ginger) to Moli Kula (golden lemon) and curry leaves used in the gin – a true taste of Fiji.

Find both products at the Nadi airport and in large retail stores throughout Fiji.

Coffee

Bula Coffee’s very first coffee beans were accidentally found growing wild in the Fijian highlands in 2011. Since then, the company has established a name for itself being 100 percent organic and sustainable. Every bean roasted at their Sigatoka factory is grown in the remote highlands of Viti Levu where they work with villagers to support rural economic empowerment. Visit their factory for a tour, a hot cuppa and a chance to pick up a few bags of their wonderful coffee.

Chocolate

Speaking of chocolate, don’t leave Fiji without a few fine-flavoured dark chocolate bars. Fiji’s cacao beans have won global recognition at competitions as far afield as London.

Nadi-based Vanua Chocolate are leading the charge with their award-winning Bean to Bar craft chocolate using locally grown cacao and sugar cane. Cacao is harvested and fermented on the same day and dried in the sun under strict quality controls. Stop by Vanua Café in Nadi to take a tour of their chocolate factory and pick up a few of their delicious bars which include interesting flavours like chili, ginger and kava.
 

KokoMana’s delicious hand-made chocolate is crafted in an agroforest in Savusavu. The enterprising couple who run this small business are passionate about chocolate, agriculture, sustainability and sharing their knowledge with local communities. Take a tour of the property where you’ll see the entire tree to bar process and taste test these heavenly treats.
 

Fijiana Cacao and ADI Chocolate also make their chocolate in small batches the old-fashioned way; doing it by hand to ensure quality is always premium. They source only local ingredients, and each piece takes 200 days to produce, ensuring only the finest chocolate is ready for sale. Take some home with you to remember Fiji by.

Snacks

There are a few go-to snacks that Fijians reach for between meals or to have with a few cold beers. We highly recommend hoarding a few (dozen) for your pantry back home.

Family-owned Bhikhabhai, the largest manufacturer of Indian savoury snacks in Fiji uses only natural ingredients and traditional methods for their products. You can pick up a few packets at their stores in Nadi, Lautoka and Ba, and order them online. Similar savoury snacks are available in retail stores across Fiji. Spicy, salty with plenty of taste and crunch, they can be highly addictive.

And whatever you do, pack a few jars of Fiji-made Island-style Peanut Butter! Batch roasted healthy high oleic peanuts and flavoured with natural ingredients like coconut oil, sea salt and crunchy coconut flakes, this decadent peanut butter makes smoothies, cookies and spreads. Available in crunchy, smooth and chocolate in Fijian supermarkets.

Herbal Drinks

Fiji Noni juice is used by people all over the world for its health benefits. The bitter, green, lumpy fruit is known in Asia and the Pacific for its fantastic medicinal properties. High in vitamins, enzymes and alkaloids, Noni is consumed to cure everything from reducing cellular damage, arthritis and infections.

300 Islands is also making a name for itself in Fiji. The brainchild of two local women who wanted to create a healthier alternative to alcohol, 300 Islands is made with Fijian ginger, pure Fijian honey and local vanilla beans. Fijian ginger is amongst the best in the world for its health properties and is a great immune booster. Find it stocked at premium department stores, duty free stores and boutiques across Fiji and Australia.

To truly calm yourself down though you need to try kava. Taki Mai Kava is prepared from the dried roots of kava plants which grow all over Fiji. A big part of ceremonies and social gatherings, locals drink it from coconut shells, and it’s known to have calming affects.

Hot Sauce

If you love spice, then you can’t leave Fiji without trying some of the awesome hot sauces. With a large Indo-Fijian population and Fiji Bongo chillies (a type of habernero), Fiji is a recipe for hot sauce heaven.

Fiji Fire Bongo Chilli Hot Sauce uses wild turmeric collected by local Fijian women for a kick that pays tribute to Fiji’s legendary fire walkers. It’s combined with pepper, carrots, and naturally brewed vinegar for a pleasant tart taste which works as well on eggs in the morning and as well as fish dinners. It’s all natural too with no flavour enhancers or colour, and buying the sauce supports local farmers.

FRIEND Fiji’s tasty chutneys and sauces are another popular choice. FRIEND’s Chutney is made from Bongo chillies and is prepared by locals using traditional recipes handed down over generations, with all fruits grown organically around Fiji. Their tangy tamarind chutney pairs well with curried meat dishes.. And the Sweet Mango Chutney with cardamoms and cloves is well worth taking home too, along with their teas, spices, jams and gluten-free flours as well.

Find both products at the Nadi airport and in large retail stores throughout Fiji.