Vanuatu Water back on shelves despite challenges after earthquake

January 19, 2025 11:22 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Nicholas Mwai.

A month after the devastating earthquake that disrupted operations across Vanuatu, Vanuatu Water is making its way back to supermarket shelves, signalling a step towards recovery for Vanuatu Beverage Limited (VBL), the company behind the popular brand.

The earthquake had an immediate and severe impact on VBL’s production lines, halting operations entirely. According to Mr. Teiva Durand, Deputy General Manager (GM) of VBL, it took a month of hard work to partially restore the Vanuatu Water production line, though significant challenges remain. “We are currently able to produce only Vanuatu Water 1.5L bottles. With our labelling machine still out of service due to earthquake damage, the production team has had to label bottles by hand, which has slowed production considerably,” he said.

Parts have been ordered to repair the damaged machinery, but other product lines, including Vanuatu Water 600ml, Splashe, Prima, and Orchy, remain offline. Mr. Durand explained that the earliest these lines could return is mid-March, with worst-case scenarios extending the timeline to July. For now, the company is selling from existing stock, but shortages are expected once supplies run out, with the exception of Vanuatu Water 1.5L, which has been prioritised to meet the nation’s needs.

Despite these challenges, VBL has shown remarkable resilience. “Not a single worker has been laid off since the earthquake,” Mr. Durand emphasised. “Instead, most of the team is working shorter hours and in part-time shifts. We are far from normal operations. The earthquake will affect many businesses for the next 6 to 12 months, and for some, the recovery will take even longer.”

VBL has made strides in ensuring the availability of water in Port Vila. As of January 17, 2025, over 60,000 litres of Vanuatu Water have been distributed to major supermarkets in the area, with expectations that most residents will find it on shelves by the weekend.

While Vanuatu Water does not currently have an export market, the company is exploring opportunities to expand its reach internationally. “We are working on potential export opportunities, which could strengthen our resilience and open new revenue streams in the future,” Mr. Durand said.