Over 30 new jobs created as Food Processors Limited expanded with a $1.2m upgrade

Food Processors Pte Limited has officially opened its upgraded factory floor, a $1.5 million investment that has created over 30 new jobs.

Speaking to fijivillage News, CEO Raneel Mudaliar says the expansion was driven by the need to improve service delivery and maintain high-quality standards for the export market.

He says the company exports products to Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK, with Palusami and Daruka being their top frozen products.

Mudaliar says to access these markets, they must meet strict certification requirements related to food safety and quality.

He says while certification compliance was a factor, the company’s primary goal was growth and expansion.

He adds that to achieve this, they needed to rehabilitate and modernise their facilities.

He says this rehabilitation is just the beginning, as the company is also investing in a new boiler and cold storage facilities, which will significantly increase capacity.

The CEO says their inventory has tripled from 500 to 1,500 tons, and revenue has grown by over 30 percent compared to 2023, mainly due to export sales and strong farmer partnerships.

He says the company actively supports farmers engaged in non-sugar agriculture by purchasing products such as dalo, bele and ota.

He further says farmers wake up as early as 4am to harvest them, which are then processed into palusami.

Mudaliar says Food Processors Fiji also sources coconuts and other local produce for its products.

He says they are now sourcing cassava from Vanua Levu and encouraging farmers in the region to supply the semi-processing centre, allowing these products to be exported as far as the USA.

Addressing future plans, Mudaliar says new products are in the research and development phase but cannot be announced until their shelf life is determined.

He says although the initial plan was to complete the project in 52 weeks, they accelerated the process and finished it within three months.

The CEO says with the new factory floor now operational, full production has resumed.

While speaking at the event Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka acknowledged the company's efforts in understanding, sustaining and boosting productivity, fostering innovation while also allowing employees to create several infrastructure projects that wish to find innovations and improve farm activities.

He says the company has also rehabilitated some parts of the Pacific farms using the government grant.

The Prime Minister says the company shows what they as a government can do to help the youth rise to a new level and certify their cover for the future.