One of the biggest things that sets 100% Fijian-grown coffee apart is that it is wild harvested. Finding a specialty coffee that comes from naturally growing trees rather than large plantations is incredibly rare, and that is something people are really drawn to. It gives the coffee a story that is as unique as the coffee itself.

Bula Coffee, led by Luke Fryett; the company's self-described "Man on the Ground" is not simply exporting coffee. It is growing an entire industry, one fair paycheck at a time.

They are already exporting to Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. The coffee is growing, and so is the company. A new roastery has just opened in New Zealand to roast closer to customers and get fresh coffee to people across New Zealand and Australia much faster.

But the bigger news is in Vanua Levu. Bula Coffee is planning on building a new processing facility soon. It is not just for processing more coffee. It is a place where farmers can come and learn how processing changes the quality of their coffee. A lot of people focus on growing great coffee, but what happens after the cherry is picked matters just as much.

"A lot of people put all their effort into growing great coffee," Mr. Fryett says, "but what happens after it's picked is just as important."

Asian markets are showing serious interest. Buyers there are excited about Pacific coffees, and Bula Coffee is maintaining relationships to create long-term markets for Fijian coffee across the region. The company is also working with coffee farmers in neighbouring Pacific countries, helping them improve quality and giving them a chance to sell their coffee to the world. The idea is simple: if the whole Pacific rises, Fiji rises with it.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR FIJI'S AGRICULTURE?

The world is finally starting to notice what the Pacific has been growing all along: a unique specialty coffee that tastes like its home. Fiji's coffee has tropical fruit and woody notes, clean and well-balanced. It is not what people expect, and that is exactly why they remember it.

"We're producing some world-class coffees with unique and exciting flavour profiles that really reflect Fiji's tropical environment," Mr. Fryett explains. "I genuinely believe these coffees have what it takes to put Fiji on the world coffee map and show people that the Pacific can produce something really special."

What makes it even more special is that it is wild-harvested. Most specialty coffee comes from managed plantations. Bula Coffee is harvested from naturally growing trees scattered across Fiji's forests. That is incredibly rare in the global market, and it gives every cup a story as unique as the coffee itself.

Bula Coffee's biggest focus is making sure farmers are paid fairly.

"We're planning on building the Fijian coffee industry from the ground up," says Mr. Fryett. "Our biggest focus is making sure farmers are paid fairly for the hard work they do, because we believe that if our farmers prosper, we all prosper."

In just one month in Vanua Levu, Bula Coffee paid over $15,000 directly to local farmers for their wild-grown coffee. The growers understand the importance of careful grading and harvesting only perfectly ripe cherries. Their dedication is producing exceptional coffee.

The 2026 harvest is bringing even more excitement. Bula Coffee is experimenting with new processing methods; fermented, co-fermented, and natural processed coffees that are becoming very popular in the specialty market. The results are already turning heads internationally.

MORE THAN COFFEE — CROP TO CUP

Bula Coffee runs a crop-to-cup agri-tourism experience at their Coffee HQ in Sigatoka, Mataqe. Visitors walk the whole journey; from seeing where coffee is grown, learning how it is harvested and processed, through to roasting and brewing their own cup. It shows people the work behind specialty coffee and the impact it has on local farming communities.

The experience has been so successful that Bula Coffee has partnered with cruise ships and tour operators like Teki Tours to bring visitors from around the world to Fijian coffee culture.

THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

Coffee is one of the world's most valuable agricultural commodities. Fiji has something mass-market producers cannot copy: wild-grown specialty coffee with full traceability, a real origin story, and a business model that puts farming communities first.

Investment Fiji has supported Bula Coffee by helping them attend trade shows around the world and access local workshops. The company is gaining serious traction. With a new roastery in New Zealand, a processing facility in development, and growing interest from Asian buyers, the direction is clear.

For investors looking at the Pacific's agricultural sector, Bula Coffee is a gateway opportunity. As global consumers keep demanding transparency, sustainability, and unique flavour, Fiji is ready to answer.

"The Pacific can produce something really special," says Mr. Fryett.

At Bula Coffee, that special something is already in your cup and the world is finally starting to taste it.

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