Beekeepers checking bee hives, Asaro Valley, Eastern Highlands. Photo credit: New Guinea Fruit Co Ltd.
New Guinea Fruit Co Ltd (NGF) was established in 1997 with the goal of adding value to the organic produce market through a range of products, including jams, honey, fruit wine and coffee. This family business sources all raw ingredients from subsistence farmers throughout PNG.
NGF pioneered the commercial fruit wine industry in PNG. Their flagship product is Live Lave, a range of locally produced fruit wines made from ginger, tamarillo, strawberry, banana and elderberry. In addition, the company produces several types of fortified wines. The company purchases an average of 100 tonnes of ginger and 20 tonnes of fruit annually. This provides a large and reliable market for Highland farmers. The volume of wine sales is closely tied to the performance of the coffee season, as are sales of other products in the Highlands. In addition to the innovative wine products, the company produces their own high-density polyethylene containers for wine, which includes buying back used bottles, crushing them and making new bottles.
NGF is also the company behind the famous Highlands Honey brand. They work with over 300 beekeepers in Morobe, EHP and the ‘upper Highlands’. They also produce organic tamarillo and strawberry jams. Their strawberries come from Okapa District in EHP. Roast Coffee is a more recent addition to the business. With a roasting facility set up in Port Moresby, they supply cafes and retailers with whole bean and ground Arabica coffee sourced from remote communities in Okapa District. The company faces many of the challenges experienced by other businesses in the country, including security, transport, foreign exchange, reliable water and electricity supply issues. Specific to their business are challenges such as the emergence of poorly regulated cheap alcohol products on the market. These products are often very high in alcohol causing social harm and health issues, as well as taking market share from established brands. The company’s jam business faces similar challenges with competition from cheap imported jams and honey.
Despite the many challenges, the company is passionate about producing natural organic products. This creates employment and careers for many school leavers and a consistent market for local growers.
