Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited is a Fijian alcoholic beverage producer based in

Suva Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Divi ...

. It is a publicly listed company on the

South Pacific Stock Exchange The South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPX) is a stock exchange based in Suva, Fiji. On 1 July 2010, the SPX launched an electronic trading platform (ETP). The Exchange now has market phases which allow the brokers to perform tasks throughout a business ...

. Paradise Beverages was established in August 1957 in

, following a partnership between

Carlton and United Breweries Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) is an Australian brewing company based in Melbourne and owned by Japanese conglomerate Asahi Breweries. Its notable brands include Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught, Foster's Lager, Great Northern, Resch's, Pu ...

and Carpenters Fiji Limited, the company was incorporated as Carlton Brewery Fiji Limited (CBFL) in November. The company's commenced production of its first beer,

Fiji Bitter Fiji Bitter is one of the many beers manufactured in Fiji by Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Amatil and is one of Fiji's most popular beers. Paradise Beverages commenced brewing Fiji Bitter, in November 1958. The fir ...

, twelve months later in November 1958, following the official opening of the Carlton Brewery in Walu Bay, Suva. The brewery’s first keg of locally-brewed draught beer going on sale in January 1959. In 1972 CBFL made 14% of the company available to public shareholders. In 1977 the company purchased the South Seas Brewery, which was based in

Lautoka Lautoka () is the second largest Local government in Fiji, city in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division, Fiji, Western Division. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane-growing r ...

. The South Seas Brewery was constructed in 1972 by majority shareholder, New Zealand Breweries, but closed due to bankruptcy in March 1975. The company releasing Fiji Light and Fiji Stout, replacing them in 1995 with Fiji Gold. In 1998 it acquired the South Pacific Distillery from Fiji Sugar Corporation, the only commercial distillery in the South Pacific region at that time. In July 1999 CBFL purchased

Samoa Breweries Samoa Breweries is the main brewer in Samoa, established in 1978. It brews a German type lager beer, called Vailima (beer), Vailima after a village in Samoa. Samoa Breweries also brewed San Miguel Beer, San Miguel under licence from 1982 to 1990. ...

Limited in

Apia Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō ...

, the producer of Vailima beers and Samoan bottler of Coca-Cola. In 2000 Carlton and United held a majority 63% stake in the company, Fijian Holdings Limited (a Fijian investment company owned by the provinces of Fiji) held 30%, purchased in 1995, and the remaining 7% was owned by a number of local interests. In May 2005, CBFL merged with South Pacific Distilleries to form Fosters Group Pacific Limited (FGPL), which two months later was listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange. Fijian Holdings Limited retaining a 28.9% share in the new company. In 2007 FGPL launched Fiji Premium. In September 2012 following the global takeover of Fosters Group by multi-national brewer,

SABMiller SABMiller plc was a South African multinational brewing and beverage company headquartered in Woking, England on the outskirts of London until 10 October 2016 when it was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Prior to that date, it was the world's ...

, the company was sold to Australian-listed company

Coca-Cola Amatil Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCA) was an Australian bottler of non-alcoholic beverages that existed from 1904 to 2021, when it merged with Coca-Cola European Partners to form Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. It was one of the largest bottlers of no ...

for FJ$91 million, and renamed Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited (PBFL). Coca-Cola Amatil currently holds a controlling 89.59% stake in the company. In March 2014 PBFL acquired the Island Brewing Company in

Nadi Nadi (pronounced ) is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. A 2012 estimate showed that the population had ...

. The Island Brewing Company was established in 2009 by New Zealand brothers Jeremy and Jonathan Ullrich. It commenced operations as a boutique micro-brewery, producing Taki Premium Lager and Vonu Pure Lager. In 2015 PBFL commenced upgrading its facilities, spending over FJ$45 million over three years, doubling production capacity, and constructing a state-of-the-art packaging facility. In February 2019 the company launched the Fiji Gold Moli, a version of their best selling beer with a lemon flavour.

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* {{Alcoholic drinks Coca-Cola brands Beer brands in Fiji Beer in Fiji 1957 establishments in Fiji Food and drink companies established in 1957 Companies based in Suva Fijian brands Companies listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange

See also

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External links