Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Your big bottle of Vailima is safe, according to local supplier GHC Reid, despite the announcement this week that Samoa Breweries Limited (SBL) is moving production to Fiji.

 “It is business as usual for GHC Reid and this change does provide future opportunities to have Vailima available in cans for our market,” said GHC Reid General Manager Cherith Lober Soliai in an email to Samoa News.

On Wednesday, the SBL announced that after several years of trading challenges, they have made “the difficult decision to move production from Samoa to Fiji, evolving the local operations in Samoa into a sales and distribution business.

 “The evolution of Samoa Breweries Limited into a sales and distribution business will help the commercial viability and continuation of the much loved Vailima brand.”

The statement says Samoa Breweries Limited will continue to sell and provide Samoans with their favorite alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. 

The Paradise Beverages facilities in Fiji, will now brew Vailima, impacting around 50 local Samoan jobs.

Paradise Beverages Limited (the majority owner of SBL) General Manager Mike Spencer said it had not taken this decision lightly.

Although, according to the GM, the local team has done an incredible job operating in a tough environment, Samoa Breweries’ commercial viability has steadily declined over the past five years due to a combination of factors including aging machinery, the impact of the measles outbreak in 2019, followed by the disruption caused by COVID-19.

 “We have explored every avenue to continue brewing in Samoa, including further investment into our aging brewery, working with a third party to develop a new brewery, and working with a third party to brew our brands. Unfortunately, none of the options were commercially viable,” said Spencer.

Country Manager Moira Simi confirmed the Vailima brand and heritage would continue to live on.

“The brewing of Vailima will stay in the Pacific moving to our state-of-the-art Paradise Beverages facilities in Fiji, where we will continue to use the same traditional methods and ingredients.

“The Vailima brand is loved both in Samoa and overseas and we want to continue that legacy, so it can be enjoyed into the future.

“We want to thank our people for their continuous efforts to improve the business, especially after such a tough few years. We know what the brewery represents in Samoa, and its role and history here is something we’re proud of. 

“Our primary focus now and in the coming months will be to look after the wellbeing of our people. We will be looking to relocate and find new roles for as many of those affected as possible, as well as redundancy packages.

“We remain committed to the Samoan people and market,” said Simi.

 “Our main priority now is helping our impacted colleagues through this period of change, and we will work tirelessly to find the best way to support them and the wider team through this transition.”

The statement says shareholders received communication via their registered mailbox on Tuesday June 28 advising of the change.