INSIDE OUT Mans Pork Shop in Suva
Popular band INSIDE OUT is manning the new Pork Shop at the Lees Trading Complex on Ratu Dovi Road, Laucala Beach. The shop is owned by Simon Cole, of Vuda Pigs, and Aaron Spencer, of South Pacific Butchery.
Why INSIDE OUT? “The band business has slowed and they thought that during the lull, operating the shop would make sense,” said Mr Cole,
“We are lucky to have them,” and he added with a smile “with Apakuki Nalawa leading the team, you may even get a song as you buy your pork”
About the shop
But the Pork Shop story starts four months earlier when the new company had just completed its new facility at Vuda.
Mr Cole said the company took a massive hit with the loss of 60 per cent of its sales with the arrival of COVID-19 that virtually shut down the main customer, the tourism industry.
With limited sales at supermarkets the company took to the streets and social media.
With little hope of an immediate return of the tourism industry, the Company successfully promoted the first Pork Shop (Junction of the Queens Highway and the Vuda Back Road) on Facebook introducing lockdown specials.
“These are family businesses who believed there is a market for pork and that the one-stop shop with easy parking and low overheads would work.” It did.
It is becoming a significant help in working towards replacing losses caused by the virus.
“For the customer it’s easy, easy store side parking, easy prices with no other products to distract you.”
More outlets
Mr Cole said that they are also working with outlets in Nadi, Lautoka and Tavua and will soon have outlets in Rakiraki and Sigatoka with the same top-quality products. With a farm of over 4,000 pigs there is plenty of pork to go around.