A taste of Taveuni
Husband and wife’s business blooms in the Garden Island of Fiji
AQUICK visit to Taveuni in 2006 turned the table for Robert Glowatzki and his wife Lucilla Chiericati who immediately fell in love with the garden island of Fiji.
The visit sparked the desire to live in Fiji — a step many could only dream of.
About 17 years later, the couple now considered locals on the island, have an organic farm and a food production business known as Yanuyanu Pte Ltd.
They bought a land in Matei and in 2015 started their business which thrives today.
“I came from Germany to Fiji as a tourist in 2006 and 2007 for Christmas and New Year,” Mr
Glowatzki said.
“That time, I spent two months in Taveuni.
“I came back in 2009 and bought a small property here because I liked the laid-back lifestyle on this island.
“I spent all my time as a tourist just on Taveuni. I didn’t see anything else in Fiji.
“I had a friend that lived on Taveuni, that’s why I came directly here.
“Later on, I explored a little bit more of Fiji, but found Taveuni as the best place in the country. “In 2016, I started this business.” Mr Glowatzki concentrated mainly on making healthy ice creams and healthy food products. “We care very much for offering healthy alternatives for the local population to change their eating habits to fight the epidemic of NCDs that’s not only hitting Fiji, but actually the whole world.
“We are trying to play our role in changing the eating habits into a healthier way.
“We grow a whole array of products on our farm. We are blessed to run our business in Taveuni, the garden island, and we can confirm that it is a garden island.
“Everything grows here so well. We grow ginger, turmeric, jackfruit, mango, avocado; we grow different spices, cinnamon, cocoa etcetera.”
He said they have started to make chocolates from the cocoa they grow.
“This is also one of our main products. We have a lot of cocoa trees, so we start producing chocolate on a bigger scale.
“This is an organic farm, so the business also grows kind of organically.
“We see what are the products that work, that have a market, and that have a good reception in the market. And then we just plant more and make more of those products.”
Mr Glowatzki said their ginger tonic was also very popular on the island.
“It has a good health impact on the people, so we are producing more of it. More people are taking it to improve their sugar level in blood and blood pressure.
“It also helps fighting diabetes even and is good for metabolism and for general wellbeing.”
When Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka toured the Yanuyanu PTE Ltd facility and farm in Matei last year, Mr Glowatzki said he told him that one of the most important missions of the company was to provide healthier option for consumers.
They do this with goods that includes organic ice-cream, neem powder, dried fruits, turmeric juice, dilo juice and soap, to name a few.