By RANOBA BAOA
Bakels (Fiji) Limited, a business highly involved in our tourism sector, has for the first time been nominated in the AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards.
The awards will be held tonight at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island in Nadi.
Eighty per cent of Bakels’ business is generated from earnings through this sector.
The internationally-based private company would be one to look out for at Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa nominated under the Services & Support to Industry category.
Bakels Sales & Technical manager, Matthew Allan, said without the tourism sector, they would not survive.
“The resorts and hotels represent approximately 20 per cent of our customers but 80 per cent of our business,” Mr Allan said.
“Their success is the key to ours. That is why it is important for them to produce excellent products as the customer will keep coming back so we need to provide them with excellent products in return.
“This nomination we feel is recognition of the tremendous amount of work the entire Bakels (Fiji) team puts into the hospitality industry.”
The company had not initially planned to enter the awards but its customers’ insistence boosted them to do so.
“They (staff) feel honoured to be recognised by customers for doing something that is indeed a labour of love,” he said.
“For me personally, I am both honoured and humbled to have been nominated for an award among so many accomplished and experienced Fiji tourism operators.”
Products and service
Mr Allan said majority of products manufactured in Fiji are unique and they are the only manufacturers it.
“This includes specialist bakery release agents, frozen croissants, frozen Danish, Puff pastry, frozen bread dough, par baked pizza bases, frozen sweet and savoury tart shells – the list is extensive,” he said.
“Bakels does not simply inform our customers of new products and trends and give them samples of new products; we demonstrate them to our customers and train their staff in their use free of charge”.
He said this programme will continue as it has been a founding success for the business.
Investment
Meanwhile the company recently invested in a $300,000 structure that will house its facilities to further expand business.
“The space will be used to install new machinery and facilities to enter into the Frozen Par-Baked market,” Mr Allan.
“This we see as where the market has the greatest need and will enable us to provide a new range and style of products to our customers to enhance the guest experience.”