Paradise Beverages

Paradise Beverages is a Fijian alcoholic-beverage producer headquartered in Suva and best known for brewing Fiji Bitter, Fiji Gold, Fiji Premium and other beers. The business traces its roots to a partnership established in Suva in August 1957 between Carlton and United Breweries and Carpenters Fiji Limited. The company was incorporated later that year as Carlton Brewery Fiji Limited, or CBFL, and began producing beer at the Carlton Brewery in Walu Bay, Suva, in November 1958. Its first locally brewed draught beer was sold in January 1959. The company developed from a single-brewery operation into a wider South Pacific beverage business. In 1972, CBFL made 14 percent of its equity available to public shareholders. Five years later it acquired South Seas Brewery in Lautoka, a facility originally constructed in 1972 by New Zealand Breweries and later closed following bankruptcy. The business broadened its beer portfolio with Fiji Light and Fiji Stout, although those products were replaced in 1995 by Fiji Gold. In 1998, CBFL acquired South Pacific Distillery from Fiji Sugar Corporation. At the time, the distillery was described as the only commercial distillery in the South Pacific region. Regional expansion followed in 1999, when CBFL purchased Samoa Breweries Limited in Apia. Samoa Breweries produced Vailima beer and bottled Coca-Cola products for the Samoan market. By 2000, Carlton and United Breweries held a 63 percent majority interest, Fijian Holdings Limited held 30 percent, and other local investors held the remaining 7 percent. In May 2005, CBFL merged with South Pacific Distilleries to create Fosters Group Pacific Limited. The newly formed company was listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange two months later, with Fijian Holdings retaining a 28.9 percent interest. Fosters Group Pacific introduced Fiji Premium in 2007. The present Paradise Beverages identity emerged after a major ownership change. Following the global takeover of Foster's Group by SABMiller, the Pacific business was sold in September 2012 to Australian-listed Coca-Cola Amatil for FJ$91 million and renamed Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited. The reference material identifies Coca-Cola Amatil as holding an 89.59 percent controlling stake. Paradise Beverages subsequently expanded its local production base by acquiring Island Brewing Company in Nadi in March 2014. Island Brewing had been founded in 2009 as a boutique microbrewery by New Zealand brothers Jeremy and Jonathan Ullrich and produced Taki Premium Lager and Vonu Pure Lager. Between 2015 and 2018, Paradise Beverages invested more than FJ$45 million in facility upgrades, including expanded production capacity and a modern packaging facility. In February 2019, it launched Fiji Gold Moli, a lemon-flavoured variant of its leading Fiji Gold beer. The company therefore combines long-established mainstream beer brands with premium, flavoured and boutique offerings, while also retaining a broader alcoholic-beverage heritage that includes distilling. Its principal operating identity remains tied to Fiji, although its corporate history and acquisitions have given it a regional South Pacific footprint.

Paradise Beverages developed from Fiji's postwar brewing industry and has undergone several corporate identities, ownership changes and regional expansions. Its direct predecessor was Carlton Brewery Fiji Limited, founded in Suva in 1957 through a partnership between Carlton and United Breweries and Carpenters Fiji Limited. The company opened the Carlton Brewery at Walu Bay and produced its first beer, Fiji Bitter, in November 1958. Draught beer reached the market in January 1959, marking the beginning of locally brewed commercial beer production for the business. The company became partially publicly owned in 1972, when 14 percent of CBFL was made available to public investors. In 1977, it acquired South Seas Brewery in Lautoka. South Seas had been built in 1972 by New Zealand Breweries but had ceased operations after entering bankruptcy in 1975. The acquisition strengthened CBFL's position across Fiji's two main urban and industrial centres. The beer range was subsequently broadened with Fiji Light and Fiji Stout. In 1995 those products were replaced by Fiji Gold, which became a central brand in the company's portfolio. Diversification accelerated in the late 1990s. In 1998, CBFL bought South Pacific Distillery from Fiji Sugar Corporation. This gave the brewer a substantial position in spirits as well as beer and connected it to a distilling operation described in the reference material as the only commercial distillery in the South Pacific at that time. In July 1999, the company acquired Samoa Breweries Limited in Apia. The Samoan business produced Vailima beers and also bottled Coca-Cola products, creating a cross-category and cross-border platform. The ownership structure at the start of the 2000s reflected both international and local participation. Carlton and United held 63 percent, Fijian Holdings Limited held 30 percent, and other local interests held the balance. In May 2005, Carlton Brewery Fiji merged with South Pacific Distilleries and became Fosters Group Pacific Limited. The new company was listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange two months later, while Fijian Holdings retained a 28.9 percent stake. Fosters Group Pacific continued developing its beer business and launched Fiji Premium in 2007. A decisive change occurred in 2012. After the global takeover of Foster's Group by SABMiller, the Pacific operation was sold to Coca-Cola Amatil for FJ$91 million. It was renamed Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited, providing the corporate identity used in the supplied reference material. Coca-Cola Amatil was identified as the controlling shareholder, with an 89.59 percent stake. The transaction moved the business from a Foster's-linked brewing structure into the Coca-Cola Amatil group while preserving its Fijian manufacturing and brand heritage. Paradise Beverages expanded its portfolio again in March 2014 through the acquisition of Island Brewing Company in Nadi. Founded in 2009 by New Zealand brothers Jeremy and Jonathan Ullrich, Island Brewing operated as a boutique microbrewery and produced Taki Premium Lager and Vonu Pure Lager. The acquisition brought craft-oriented local products into the larger company's portfolio. From 2015, Paradise Beverages undertook a major capital-improvement program. More than FJ$45 million was spent over three years on facility upgrades, including measures intended to double production capacity and the construction of a state-of-the-art packaging facility. The investment supported greater manufacturing scale and more modern packaging operations. In February 2019, the company extended Fiji Gold with Fiji Gold Moli, a lemon-flavoured variant of its best-selling beer. Across its history, the business has therefore combined national beer production, regional acquisitions, distilling, bottling-related operations and product diversification, while remaining centred on Fiji's beverage market.

1. 2019Fiji Gold Moli is introduced

   Paradise Beverages launched a lemon-flavoured version of Fiji Gold.

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2. 2015Capacity and packaging investment begins

   The company began a three-year program involving more than FJ$45 million of facility investment and planned production-capacity expansion.

   Source
3. 2014Island Brewing Company is acquired

   Paradise Beverages acquired the Nadi-based boutique brewer Island Brewing Company.

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4. 2012The business becomes Paradise Beverages

   Coca-Cola Amatil acquired the Pacific business for FJ$91 million and renamed it Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited.

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5. 2007Fiji Premium is launched

   Fosters Group Pacific introduced Fiji Premium.

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6. 2005Fosters Group Pacific is created and listed

   CBFL merged with South Pacific Distilleries to form Fosters Group Pacific Limited, which was listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange later that year.

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7. 1999Samoa Breweries is acquired

   CBFL purchased Samoa Breweries Limited in Apia, adding the Vailima beer business and a Samoan Coca-Cola bottling operation.

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8. 1998South Pacific Distillery is acquired

   CBFL bought South Pacific Distillery from Fiji Sugar Corporation.

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9. 1995Fiji Gold replaces Fiji Light and Fiji Stout

   The company replaced its Fiji Light and Fiji Stout products with Fiji Gold.

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10. 1977South Seas Brewery is acquired

    CBFL purchased the Lautoka-based South Seas Brewery.

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11. 1972Public shareholding begins

    CBFL made 14 percent of its equity available to public shareholders.

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12. 1959First locally brewed draught beer is sold

    The company's first keg of locally brewed draught beer went on sale in January.

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13. 1958Fiji Bitter production begins

    The Carlton Brewery in Walu Bay, Suva, officially opened and began producing Fiji Bitter.

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14. 1957Carlton Brewery Fiji is established

    A partnership between Carlton and United Breweries and Carpenters Fiji Limited established the business in Suva in August; it was incorporated as Carlton Brewery Fiji Limited in November.

    Source

A long-established Fijian brewer and alcoholic-beverage producer combining mass-market national beer brands, premium and flavoured variants, and selected boutique brewing products from its regional portfolio.

• Fiji BitterBeer1958

  Fiji Bitter is the company's foundational beer brand. It was the first beer produced by the Carlton Brewery in Suva, with production beginning in November 1958. Its launch established the company's long-running role in Fiji's locally brewed beer market.

• Fiji GoldLager1995

  Fiji Gold was introduced in 1995 as the successor to Fiji Light and Fiji Stout. It became one of the company's best-selling beer brands and later served as the base for the Fiji Gold Moli flavoured variant.

• Fiji PremiumPremium beer2007

  Fiji Premium was launched by Fosters Group Pacific in 2007 as a higher-tier addition to the company's Fiji beer portfolio. It represents the business's move beyond its established mainstream lager brands into premium positioning.

• Fiji Gold MoliFlavoured beer2019

  Fiji Gold Moli is a lemon-flavoured version of Fiji Gold. Paradise Beverages launched it in February 2019 as a flavour-led extension of one of its best-selling beer brands.

• Taki Premium LagerPremium lager

  Taki Premium Lager was produced by Island Brewing Company, the Nadi boutique brewer acquired by Paradise Beverages in 2014. It became part of Paradise Beverages' portfolio through that acquisition.

• Vonu Pure LagerLager

  Vonu Pure Lager originated with Island Brewing Company, a microbrewery established in Nadi in 2009. The brand entered the Paradise Beverages portfolio following the company's acquisition of Island Brewing in 2014.

• VailimaBeer

  Vailima is a Samoan beer brand associated with Samoa Breweries in Apia. Paradise Beverages' predecessor acquired Samoa Breweries in 1999, bringing the brand into the company's wider South Pacific operating history.

• 2019Launch Fiji Gold MoliProduct launch

  Fiji Gold was described as the company's best-selling beer, providing an established base for a flavoured product extension.

  What changed. Paradise Beverages introduced Fiji Gold Moli, a lemon-flavoured version of Fiji Gold.

  Source
• 2015Upgrade manufacturing and packaging facilitiesStrategy

  The company pursued additional capacity and more modern production infrastructure after years of operating as a major Fijian beverage producer.

  What changed. It committed more than FJ$45 million over three years, with plans to double production capacity and construct a state-of-the-art packaging facility.

  Aftermath. The program was intended to increase manufacturing scale and modernize packaging operations.

  Facility investment. More than FJ$45 million (2015-2018)

  Source
• 2014Acquire Island Brewing CompanyM&A

  Island Brewing Company operated as a boutique microbrewery in Nadi and produced Taki Premium Lager and Vonu Pure Lager.

  What changed. Paradise Beverages acquired Island Brewing Company and incorporated its products into the broader portfolio.

  Aftermath. The acquisition expanded Paradise Beverages' presence in boutique and premium-style brewing.

  Source
• 2012Sell the Pacific beverage business to Coca-Cola AmatilM&A

  The transaction followed SABMiller's global takeover of Foster's Group and separated the Pacific beverage operation from the Foster's-linked corporate structure.

  What changed. Coca-Cola Amatil acquired the business for FJ$91 million and renamed it Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited.

  Aftermath. The business continued operating as a Fijian beverage producer under the Paradise Beverages identity, with Coca-Cola Amatil identified as the controlling shareholder.

  Acquisition price. FJ$91 million (September 2012)

  Source

• 2019Fiji Gold Moli launches

  Paradise Beverages launched Fiji Gold Moli, a lemon-flavoured version of its Fiji Gold beer.

  Product launchProduct generation
  Source
• 2015Paradise Beverages begins major production and packaging upgrade

  Paradise Beverages began a multiyear investment program of more than FJ$45 million to double production capacity and build a modern packaging facility.

  Other
  Source
• 2014Paradise Beverages acquires Island Brewing Company

  The company purchased Nadi-based Island Brewing Company, adding the Taki Premium Lager and Vonu Pure Lager brands to its portfolio.

  M&A
  Source
• 2012Coca-Cola Amatil acquires Fosters Group Pacific and renames it Paradise Beverages

  After SABMiller's takeover of Foster's Group, Coca-Cola Amatil acquired the Pacific business for FJ$91 million and changed its name to Paradise Beverages Fiji Limited.

  M&A
  Source
• 2007Fiji Premium launches

  Fosters Group Pacific introduced Fiji Premium as an addition to its beer portfolio.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2005Fosters Group Pacific is formed and listed

  Carlton Brewery Fiji merged with South Pacific Distilleries to form Fosters Group Pacific Limited, which was listed on the South Pacific Stock Exchange later that year.

  M&A
  Source
• 1999CBFL expands into Samoa through Samoa Breweries acquisition

  CBFL purchased Samoa Breweries Limited in Apia, gaining the producer of Vailima beers and a Samoan Coca-Cola bottling operation.

  M&A
  Source
• 1998CBFL acquires South Pacific Distillery

  The company acquired South Pacific Distillery from Fiji Sugar Corporation and expanded beyond brewing into commercial spirits production.

  M&A
  Source
• 1977Carlton Brewery Fiji acquires South Seas Brewery

  CBFL purchased the Lautoka-based South Seas Brewery, expanding its Fijian brewing footprint.

  M&A
  Source
• 1958Carlton Brewery Fiji begins local beer production

  The Carlton Brewery in Walu Bay, Suva, commenced production of Fiji Bitter, establishing the foundation of the business that later became Paradise Beverages.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Paradise Beverages