Page 45 - November 2021 IB FINAL

Business Business

as well as promoting the “easy to use, safe and very handy” formula to families in need amid pandemic-related job losses
local eWallet M-PAiSA operated by Vodafone. and business closures in Fiji’s Western Division. Gabriel said
Courses in managing cash flow, lodging taxes and bookkeep- they’re planning for a second distribution round of baby
ing for entrepreneurs with limited business experience would formula.
be a welcome assistance, he added. A reliable vehicle is paramount for any delivery service, and
Drop specialises in delivering orders from restaurants, the Sharmas have a trusted set of wheels in their 2007 Nissan
department stores and supermarkets, as well as pickups of Tilda.
beer, wine and grog. In addition to Nadi and its environs, the “She’s named “Tilda,” short for Matilda,” Octavia said. “We
service operates in Lautoka. The cities, separated by 22 kilo- love her to bits. She’s taken us through many adventures,
meters, are the second- and third-largest respectively in Fiji. exploring places we had never been. A very integral part of
“We have just recently started offering our service seven our company. We worked with what we had, and our personal
days a week,” said Octavia. “We also do the odd job to Ba or car has been a big advantage.”
Sigatoka, and even Suva (the capital, some 190 kilometers The couple said their biggest gratification comes in see-
away) depending on what the clients want and if we are able ing the faces of the recipients of deliveries. “I would say the
to cater.” most satisfying deliveries are the ones that are sent from
clients overseas who miss their families,” said Gabriel, adding
Partners in business such gifts could be a bouquet of flowers or a shopping cart of
The couple says their first customer was the popular local groceries and household products. “Just seeing the smiles and
musician-videographer Eremasi Rova, and notes the business tears really make the hard work absolutely worth it.”
has partnered with local upscale beverage shops, cafes, res- Of the future, he said, “We plan to continue pushing eCom-
taurants and supermarkets. merce and making ordering online normal. We hope to gain
Drop delivers on a commission-basis with some restaurant- more trust in the overall experience for the client, and to be
partners, but for most deliveries the fees are paid by recipi- able to deliver a service that is easy and reliable. Opening
ents based on distance. The Sharmas stressed Drop differs up in more cities and towns is definitely where we are
from Cyber Foods, an online food-delivery service based in headed.”
Suva and operational in Nadi, in that it delivers a range of
products from groceries to flowers in addition to restaurant editor@islandsbusiness.com
takeaways.
Among Drop’s partners is Small Plates Garden Restaurant,
where owner Tahn Strawhan said, “Outsourcing our deliver-
ies to COVID-safe delivery partners has allowed us to expand TRADE MARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE IN MICRONESIA
our brand awareness and market access during otherwise very KT&G CORPORATION, a corporation organised and existing under the
difficult times.” laws of Republic of Korea, of 71, Beotkkot-gil, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon,
“I believe the future is very bright for such businesses,” REPUBLIC OF KOREA, does hereby provide notice that it claims
added Strawhan, whose decade-old restaurant specialises in proprietorship of the trade marks
Asian and seafood dishes. “Even as the dust settles this won’t CARNIVAL
be the last time we deal with this kind of situation, pandem-
ics, so delivery services are well-positioned to grow and RAISON
become a force within not just the restaurant industry.” THIS
Some Nadi cafes and restaurants kept deliveries in-house
during the pandemic. The owner of KANU Lance Seeto de- TIME
ployed his own truck and crew members for deliveries, which in relation to:
were free for orders over F$30 (US$14). Tobacco; cigarettes; cigars; snuff; cigarette papers; tobacco pipes;
“At the height of the lockdown business was really tough,” cigarette filters; cigarette cases (not of precious metal); tobacco
said Seeto. “We still had fixed costs of EFL (electricity) and pouches; cigarette lighters (not of precious metal); matches; pipe
rent, and so margins were extremely important, which is why cleaners for tobacco pipes; ashtrays (not of precious metal) for smokers;
KANU decided to do its own home/hotel delivery service. cigar cutters.
“Our food prices had already been reduced dramatically to
attract customers, and so giving the delivery service an extra KT&G CORPORATION cautions that any use of the trade mark or any
percentage was just not viable,” he added. “It also allowed confusingly similar trade mark in relation to any of these goods or similar
us to provide a more personalised service with KANU staff goods, would be seen as infringement of their rights and that they will
delivering in person.” take such action deemed necessary to protect those rights.
Drop does deliver from KANU when customers call the ser- KT&G CORPORATION can be contacted care of their address for service:
vice and request a pick-up from the restaurant.
For the Sharmas, new parents are amongst their key cus- AJ Park, Level 22, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street,
tomers. Drop partnered with an anonymous overseas donor Wellington 6011, New Zealand
mail@ajpark.com
with Fijian ties to launch a drive mid-year that donated baby

Islands Business, November 2021 45