[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/Facebook]

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica recently visited The Calmer Co. in Brisbane, Australia, to explore collaboration opportunities and learn from the company’s success in the kava industry.

The Calmer Co., known for brands such as Fiji Kava, Taki Mai, and Danodan Hempworks, has experienced significant growth over the past two years, with e-commerce sales exceeding $20,000 per day and a customer base of over 50,000.

The company sources kava directly from farmers in Fiji and is actively exploring partnerships with co-operatives to meet increasing demand.

[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/Facebook]

During the visit, founder and executive director Zane Yoshida briefed the delegation on challenges in the industry, particularly the kava die-back disease.

[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/Facebook]

Yoshida also highlighted ongoing collaborations with the Australian Government and donor agencies to support research aimed at mitigating the disease’s impact.

He also highlighted the need for restructuring kava farming operations and working closely with co-operatives to strengthen supply chains.