FPFL acting CEO Mr. Noushad Ali with some of their products at their Vatuwaqa processing factory.
By LOTE RABOILA of FDB
When it comes to processing of local foods, no one understands the importance of quality and compliance to food standards better than Food Processors Fiji Limited (FPFL).
With 25 years of experience under its belt, FPFL continues to thrive on quality assurance and compliance.
FPFL is a government commercial company specialising in the value adding of local fruits, vegetables, root crops and marine products for the local and export market.
“Food Processors have always been about quality as we want to ensure that we give only the best to our customers. Fifty five percent of our products are exported overseas and as such, we want to maintain that freshness when our customers open our cans to enjoy the products,” FPFL acting chief executive officer Mr. Noushad Ali said.
“You can imagine yourself as a Fijian or a Pacific Islander living abroad and longing for food from home such as dalo, cassava, bele, coconut cream and even sea food. We bring that to our customers so that they can enjoy food that they are used to which is still fresh and of the best quality as if they pulled it out of their own back yard garden.”
The company processes food products using local indigenous raw materials for local and export markets with the vision of being the best processor of the ‘natural foods of Fiji’.
“Our mission is to enhance the production and worldwide marketing of the natural Foods of Fiji by developing the skills of our people and local suppliers, innovations and exceeding customer expectations in quality and taste, and meeting all international and local standards.”
Some of their renowned products include brand names such as Pacific Crown, Agro Crown, Natural Foods of Fiji and other associated co- brands.
“We pride ourselves with the fact that we can produce local products that are just as the same quality or even better than imported food items. Forty five percent of our products are sold locally to ensure that locals are getting the same quality of goods that we export to our overseas market.”
FPFL will be promoting and selling these products at the Fiji Development Bank’s Market Day on Saturday 17 May at the FDB building along Victoria, Suva.
“We have a long standing relationship with the Fiji Development going back more than 20 years. They have continued to assist us and we are thankful to them for including us to be part of the market day initiative. We will be promoting and selling a lot of our frozen products at the market day and we encourage the public to come and buy these locally produced products.”
The Fiji Development Bank Market day brings together a wide range of agriculture, small and medium enterprise owners to promote and sell their products from the same venue.
The market day will feature fresh fruits, vegetables, frozen vegetables, root crops, frozen meats, fresh fish and sea foods, house hold items, cooked foods and many others. The market is open from 6am to 1pm.