Discover the unique product Coles is selling after being banned in Australia
- Replies 28
It used to be impossible to get your hands on this product in Australia, but now this unique product has made its way onto the shelves of Coles.
A Coles shopper has recently shared her shock after discovering that a product 'never seen sold' in Australia is now stocked in their aisles.
During a recent visit to Coles, Grace Korovata, a New South Wales town resident with Fijian roots, came across packets of Kava, a traditional beverage originating from the Pacific Islands.
Kava has known sedative effects and is steeped in great cultural significance for nations like Fiji, where it is used daily by some, and on special occasions including weddings, marriages, and funerals.
It was once banned from being imported into Australia in 2007 after it was classified as a prohibited import substance.
The ban was lifted in January 2022, paving the way for Coles to begin stocking Fiji Kava and selling it for $16.
'I’ve never seen kava sold like this ever, you usually have to buy it by the kilo in Fiji,' Grace said.
However, upon reading the instructions on the packet which stated kava should be consumed by the teaspoon after being stirred into water, Grace said: 'That is ridiculous. That’s crazy.'
It’s the cultural importance of the product that encouraged Grace to share a video on social media of the saddening experience.
'It [doesn’t] sit right with me, and if you see in my comment section a lot of people have the same views as I have on its cultural significance, how it’s supposed to be served, etc.—particularly other Fijians/Pacific Islanders who understand Kava,' Grace added.
'It’s not the product itself that I have an issue with, it’s actually quite nice, however, it saddens me to see Kava, a cultural device used within our communities, commercialised and watered down to make a profit and cater to an audience it’s simply not meant for.'
Kava, known in Fiji locally as kava-kava or yaqona, comes from the crushed stems of the Kava root (Piper methysticum) and is mixed with water.
The crushed roots then release a chemical called 'kavalacones' which can ease anxiety, insomnia, and relieve pain.
The video has been viewed 1.7 million times with many expressing the same viewpoint as Grace.
Some said Fiji Kava was made by a Fijian who now lives in Brisbane and that the product being sold at Coles is creating great income for the developing country.
Anthony Noble, CEO of Calmer Co, the umbrella company that the Fiji Kava brand now sits under, said the product is 100 per cent Fiji-sourced and made and proudly supports local communities.
'Our founder is Zane Yoshida, a Fijian from Levuka, who started the company in his home country in 2013,' he said.
'We operated a processing facility and a nucleus farm on the island and recently transitioned to sourcing through a network of more than 300 Kava farmers and Kava farming cooperatives all around Fiji as the business has scaled up.'
'We also source from a network of supply hubs around the Fiji Islands, to maintain robust supply and are the only company [that] buys only directly from farmers.
'This means 100 per cent of money goes to the farmer, not middlemen. We also employ around 20 people in our Fijian operations, as well as one person in the USA and six here in the Brisbane warehouse and office.'
He added that sales for kava in Coles have been strong and continue to grow.
Mr Noble said that Fiji Kava, along with TakiMai—a beverage for 'traditional Kava drinkers'—was 'targeted to western consumers'.
'Grace is right in her video, the product is not one for the seasoned kava drinker, it is targeted to new customers and [those] trying Kava for the first time,' Mr Noble explained.
'It is great with juice or in a protein shake and our product in Coles is micronised instant kava for those applications,' he added.
Despite the differing opinions, the feedback on the product has been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying that it was good for those who needs to 'chill out'.
'I’m concerned it’s in the brekky aisle, that’s a whole heap of relaxed folks starting their work day right,' one said.
'I tried this recently and I was [knocked-out],' a second added.
However, the drink fell flat with others with one saying: 'I saw they sold it a few days ago. Tried it. And doesn’t even cut it, in my opinion.'
While another said: 'Leave our Kava alone.'
You can watch Grace’s full video below:
Source: TikTok/@gracekorovata.
A spokesperson from Coles said that the product, which has been available for customers since June 2022, has 'grown in popularity over the past year'.
The supermarket put strict processes in place in compliance with the legislation set out by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Furthermore, the Fiji Consulate has also endorsed the partnership and said it was 'proud to support Fiji Kava’s success'.
What are your thoughts on this story, members? Have you tried Kava before? Let us know in the comments below!
A Coles shopper has recently shared her shock after discovering that a product 'never seen sold' in Australia is now stocked in their aisles.
During a recent visit to Coles, Grace Korovata, a New South Wales town resident with Fijian roots, came across packets of Kava, a traditional beverage originating from the Pacific Islands.
One Coles shopper was shocked to see Kava, a native Fijian drink, being sold in the aisles. Image source: TikTok/@gracekorovata.
Kava has known sedative effects and is steeped in great cultural significance for nations like Fiji, where it is used daily by some, and on special occasions including weddings, marriages, and funerals.
It was once banned from being imported into Australia in 2007 after it was classified as a prohibited import substance.
The ban was lifted in January 2022, paving the way for Coles to begin stocking Fiji Kava and selling it for $16.
'I’ve never seen kava sold like this ever, you usually have to buy it by the kilo in Fiji,' Grace said.
However, upon reading the instructions on the packet which stated kava should be consumed by the teaspoon after being stirred into water, Grace said: 'That is ridiculous. That’s crazy.'
It’s the cultural importance of the product that encouraged Grace to share a video on social media of the saddening experience.
'It [doesn’t] sit right with me, and if you see in my comment section a lot of people have the same views as I have on its cultural significance, how it’s supposed to be served, etc.—particularly other Fijians/Pacific Islanders who understand Kava,' Grace added.
'It’s not the product itself that I have an issue with, it’s actually quite nice, however, it saddens me to see Kava, a cultural device used within our communities, commercialised and watered down to make a profit and cater to an audience it’s simply not meant for.'
Kava, known in Fiji locally as kava-kava or yaqona, comes from the crushed stems of the Kava root (Piper methysticum) and is mixed with water.
The crushed roots then release a chemical called 'kavalacones' which can ease anxiety, insomnia, and relieve pain.
The video has been viewed 1.7 million times with many expressing the same viewpoint as Grace.
Some said Fiji Kava was made by a Fijian who now lives in Brisbane and that the product being sold at Coles is creating great income for the developing country.
Anthony Noble, CEO of Calmer Co, the umbrella company that the Fiji Kava brand now sits under, said the product is 100 per cent Fiji-sourced and made and proudly supports local communities.
'Our founder is Zane Yoshida, a Fijian from Levuka, who started the company in his home country in 2013,' he said.
'We operated a processing facility and a nucleus farm on the island and recently transitioned to sourcing through a network of more than 300 Kava farmers and Kava farming cooperatives all around Fiji as the business has scaled up.'
'We also source from a network of supply hubs around the Fiji Islands, to maintain robust supply and are the only company [that] buys only directly from farmers.
'This means 100 per cent of money goes to the farmer, not middlemen. We also employ around 20 people in our Fijian operations, as well as one person in the USA and six here in the Brisbane warehouse and office.'
He added that sales for kava in Coles have been strong and continue to grow.
Mr Noble said that Fiji Kava, along with TakiMai—a beverage for 'traditional Kava drinkers'—was 'targeted to western consumers'.
'Grace is right in her video, the product is not one for the seasoned kava drinker, it is targeted to new customers and [those] trying Kava for the first time,' Mr Noble explained.
'It is great with juice or in a protein shake and our product in Coles is micronised instant kava for those applications,' he added.
Despite the differing opinions, the feedback on the product has been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying that it was good for those who needs to 'chill out'.
'I’m concerned it’s in the brekky aisle, that’s a whole heap of relaxed folks starting their work day right,' one said.
'I tried this recently and I was [knocked-out],' a second added.
However, the drink fell flat with others with one saying: 'I saw they sold it a few days ago. Tried it. And doesn’t even cut it, in my opinion.'
While another said: 'Leave our Kava alone.'
You can watch Grace’s full video below:
Source: TikTok/@gracekorovata.
A spokesperson from Coles said that the product, which has been available for customers since June 2022, has 'grown in popularity over the past year'.
The supermarket put strict processes in place in compliance with the legislation set out by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Furthermore, the Fiji Consulate has also endorsed the partnership and said it was 'proud to support Fiji Kava’s success'.
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