Page 32 - Fiji Traveller 2023 Issue 5

GINGER

BEER Yoshiko Wakaniyasi and Talei Tora

GREENPRENEURS

By Rowena Singh

It’s hard to imagine a more refreshing drink option than a cold glass of Ginger Lei’s
lemongrass or moli ginger beer, pumped straight from a frosty keg.
You may have tried it at the ROC Market or at the Ginger Café in Suva, or poolside at the
Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau.
Now Ginger Lei’s commitment to adding value to Fijian produce, creating a healthy
beverage and staying true to their environmental convictions, has seen the company win the
regional finals for the Pacific Greenpreneurs Accelerator pitch program, sponsored by the
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). That win will see company co-founder, Talei Tora go
to Dubai on a study tour and bid for an interest-free loan that could be key to scaling up this
fledging business.
Business partners, Tora and Yoshiko Wakaniyasi set up Ginger Lei after Tora set out to find
ways to satisfy her own craving for ginger beverages.
“I used to like ginger ale, but it got too sweet for me,” says Tora. Researching alternatives,
she came across a ginger beer recipe.
“That was about six or seven years ago, and I thought I’d try and make it myself. It works out

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