Pacific products displayed at showcase

Pacific businesses are bringing their best to the Forum.

On Monday night invited guests will attend a showcase at the National Auditorium, coordinated by the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce to provide an opportunity for Pacific businesspeople to put their products on parade and their services on show.

The function is being referred to as the ‘clean and green industry showcase’, and 26 Pacific businesses (and several Cook Islands government ministries) are confirmed to be part of it.

Local businesses include Andersons, ANZ Bank, Paradise Technologies Cook Islands (which manufactures refrigerant and cooling systems and electrical lighting), Rito Cook Islands (cold-pressed coconut oil), Telecom Cook Islands and the Titikaveka Growers Association.

Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative, which has been pushing the idea of a shark sanctuary in the Cook Islands, will also have a booth.

CIMTECH, the brains behind Te Tika skincare products, will be displaying its bio-active oils.

Overseas businesses include Apia Bottling Company and XOX Pacific Limited from Samoa, Banz Kofi Fektori (a coffee factory based in Papua New Guinea), ESG Green Energy, Fujitsu (which produces energy-efficient air conditioners and heat pumps), Panasonic, True Pacific and Fofoloa Ltd (or Tupu’anga Coffee, from the Kingdom of Tonga).

The Chinese embassy in Wellington aims to show off its green solutions, and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs will also be attending.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, Pacific Islands Trade and Invest, SAMEX Ltd (a New Zealand trade delegation) and Young Enterprise Trust (a non-government organisation set up to help young people start businesses) will have booths of their own.

Also being represented are the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, the Cook Islands Ministry of Education, Cook Islands Tourism and Te Aponga Uira.

The showcase kicks off at 5pm on Monday.