WITH Pure Fiji products being based on the traditions of the Pacific islands, raw materials and handicraft items are supplied by more than 600 craftsmen and women in rural communities.
And this is then assembled with passion and care into the finished product at a custom-built state-of-the-art factory in Suva.
Apart from its core business, Pure Fiji has also organised tours for tourists and locals at its factory in Vatuwaqa.
I was lucky enough to get to interview one of the founders of Pure Fiji, Gaetane Austin, who by the way is an incredibly lovely woman.
She shared her life story and how she started Pure Fiji with her daughter, which quickly grew from three workers to 135, and from inside her tiny kitchen to two large factories!
Pure Fiji is now carried in some of the most high-end spas and resorts worldwide, as well as smaller health and beauty stores.
History
Pure Fiji is a natural body and skin care products manufacturer that caters for the exclusive spa and salon industry.
Founded in 1996 by mother and daughter team Gaëtane and Andrée Austin, Pure Fiji began research, development, and production of their uniquely Fijian-made products around the family kitchen table, based on the numerous benefits of coconut oil and other local botanicals.
The Pure Fiji brand is sold locally and in spas around the world such as the Ritz Carlton and Four Season resorts and in Las Vegas at resorts such as the Bellagio, Wynn, and Caesars Palace.
This pioneering instinct and powerful faith in their vision has served Pure Fiji well in the years since its inception.
Pure Pacific arts
Pure Fiji director Gaetane Austin says the factory complex boasts manufacturing and quality control facilities, packaging, distribution, a solarium for leaf drying and another solarium for drying staff uniforms and spa linens, and an international spa training centre.
In the adjacent Pure Fiji building an entire floor is dedicated to Zenergy, which is the centre for yoga, pilates and exercise.
There is also a comprehensive art gallery — the focal point of which is a large painting of Ratu Seru Cakobau by the renowned artist Mary Edwell Burke.
The gallery also contains displays of Pacific artifacts and memorabilia, which will continue to be expanded to preserve Fijian and island heritage.
Awards
Pure Fiji has received international readership awards over well-known brands and is acknowledged as one of the top 10 spa brands internationally.
Recently, Pure Fiji won an award for the best exotic oil worldwide.
Two of the many competitors were Estée Lauder and MAC, so it was a very proud moment for the local company.
Stockists
As many as 75 Pure Fiji stockists from Australia and New Zealand were on a training visit to Fiji to familiarise themselves with the manufacturing plant this year.
Ms Austin said the tour was to show the stockists what Fiji was really like.
During the visit, guests were accorded a traditional welcome with the rendition of “Bula Malaya kei Viti talega” sung by staff members with dances and a welcome drink.
Ms Austin said this protocol was also showcased at a trade show in Las Vegas, US which was attended by five Pure Fiji staff members.
“Putting a smile on their faces is the most important thing to do when they are visiting Fiji.
“We have this every second day. They get to visit a fully operational factoring plant and we are the only manufacturers of cosmetics in the whole of the South Pacific.
“As it is here in Fiji, we are very proud of that. They could see the ingredients used in our products.
“They could visit the garden and also see our girls at work on the products.”
With the entertainment, she said guests “think they are in heaven”.
Served with traditional food, the guests also experienced the massage rituals and spa treatments, which Pure Fiji had developed.
Massage ritual
Four Pure Fiji staff members left Fiji this year to attend the Las Vegas International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa Conference (IECSC).
In Vegas, the team — led by company director Andre Austin — showcased the unique Pure Fiji massage ritual, synchronised to Fijian music.
Ms Austin says the Pure Fiji booth was also manned by US distributors.
She says while it is anticipated that Pure Fiji’s presence boosted their recognition in the US, it also gave an excellent exposure for Fiji generally.
IECSC Las Vegas is a valuable educational resource that provides attendees with the perfect venue to learn about new trends, find new product lines, and discover new tools, techniques and treatments that will help their careers and businesses grow.
