A decline in local fish supplies has hit Fiji’s restaurant sector, forcing some eatery owners to increase menu prices to cover soaring operational costs.
Popular Suva eatery Dan’s Fish and Chips confirmed it has been forced to raise its standard fish-and-chips meal price from $11 to $13. Eatery office administrator Virginia Thaggard explained the price hike stemmed directly from increased wholesale costs charged by their primary supplier, Khans Holdings.
She said the purchasing price for Marlin had jumped from $13.50 per kilogram to $15.75/kg.
“We had to increase our food prices, otherwise we would be making a loss. We have to pay for other expenses as well, including staff wages, gas, and basic ingredients,” Ms Thaggard said.
“There’s the issue of when we call our supplier and they say, oOh, we don’t have enough fish to supply’, so then we’ll have to run around elsewhere to look for it and that’s even more expensive.”
Theresa Kean, owner of Fish Lovers Cuisine – widely known for its seafood dishes, said surging seafood costs meant she now regularly spends between $50-$60 for a single bundle of quality fish—a rate she warns is unsustainable. While she typically buys fresh catches directly from family members to keep costs down, the shortage has forced her to seek alternative vendors.
“Sometimes they cannot go out and fish due to the increased prices of fuel. Some of my regular suppliers also don’t really supply my full seafood orders as well, so I have to go to the market.”
Ms Kean warned that to keep her business operational under current market conditions, she would soon need to implement a flat $5 price increase across her entire menu.
