ME Sovu Pte Ltd founder and owner Beatrice Nast says it took her four years to convince the Agriculture Ministry about the untapped goat milk production.
Ms Nast created Fiji’s first goat milk soap business at her home in Martintar, Nadi in 2021.
“It took me four years to convince Agriculture to come on board,” she said.
“Because no one was milking goat in Fiji, and I had to convince the farmers as well.
“My first factory was at home in Martintar, I started in my living room and then I turned my garage into a lab.
“Last year in March, I opened this factory on Nadi Back Road.
“I did it on purpose so that they would take me seriously.”
She said after a few months, the Ministry of Agriculture had informed her of opening a new sector in the agriculture industry for goat milk production.
“They are now looking for farmer clusters and prefer female because that was how I started.
“And I want to continue with that, supporting the women farmers especially in the rural areas.
“So, the Ministry of Agriculture brought in some milk goats, because in Fiji we have only meat goats.
“They (milk goats) are about to be released, so we need farmer clusters that know what to do.
“And the Agriculture Ministry will support the women farmers with fencing, milking machines and will be trained on looking after the goats.”
Ms Nast said goat milk production would become a potential market for economic growth.
“Outside of Fiji, there is a whole industry of goat milk, which costs millions.
“And we have not even tapped into this before.
“So now they see Me Sovu soap as a market and now they are reacting.
“The soap is probably just a stepping stone. My vision is that this goes for Fiji and for the farmers and we are talking about goat milk cheese, baby formula consumption for those that are allergic to the normal milk.
“I’m getting calls every day and asked on whether they can buy milk for consumption
“I tell them I cannot do it, and whatever I get right now I use to make the soap.
“But there are so many add on which I hope the farmers will be able to utilise because this is an add-on product.”
Ms Nast won the National Woman Value- Adding Entrepreneur 2025 at the National Women in Agriculture Awards held in March this year.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated April 26, 2025
