A COMPANY which has been manufacturing skincare products for the past 15 years plans to work with villagers to promote sustainable harvest of nama or seagrapes.
Essence of Fiji recently launched its premium skincare product range, Nama Fiji — Pure Hydration in New Zealand, Australia and Prague in Czechoslovakia.
The high-quality product is made by Essence of Fiji and is aimed at capturing the lucrative high-end International Spa Market.
Essence of Fiji Rejuvenation Centre managing director Debra Sadranu said: “We have been manufacturing spa products for 15 years, however, we are very excited to have launched our new premium skincare range Nama of Fiji.
“We have been manufacturing skincare products and hair removal wax for 15 years. Essence of Fiji is uses local plant and fruit extracts and has been primarily used for treatments in our Training Institute and Senikai Spas. The hair removal wax is made from bees wax and seaweed is also utilised in our school and Senikai spas.”
Ms Sadranu said nama provided an organic pure alternative to skin hydration compared with that of hyaluronic acid which was sourced from animals of produced through bacteria in a lab, making organic nama the preferred skincare solution.
The company sources nama for its skincare range from the Yasawas.
Ms Sadranu said James Cook University had done studies confirming that the nama in the Yasawa region was far more plump and larger providing more nutrients and beneficial properties to that of other sea grapes in different regions.
In terms of market research for their new product, Ms Sadranu said: “We are very knowledgeable in skincare extracts and their benefits on the skin. My experience over 25 years of training and treating skin conditions provided the necessary platform to venture into manufacturing of our own skincare products. We have tested the product in our own school and spas before entering into international export markets. All research and development was done in consultation with James Cook University.”
She said they were also in discussions with the Market Development Facility (MDF) who are considering possibilities to with the villagers in training and support for nama farming.
The company had also undertaken sustainability evaluations of the nama growth and farming was done in consultation with James Cook University.
Essence of Fiji was part of a group of local exporters who participated in the Fiji Export Council’s Path to Market project last year.
Ms Sadranu said the FEC have been very supportive — to visit perspective markets allows manufacturers the opportunity to evaluate every possible consideration before entering into specific regions.
She said such programs were essential and educational to prevent unnecessary loss or failure.
“We evolved by having a great team of employees , integration of business models that align with each other/industry related, and a lot of hard work.”
Distributors for Nama Fiji are now appointed in Australia, New Zealand and Prague and the company is working through Fiji Airways and Tourism Fiji destination partners to raise brand awareness.
