Kava imports a new line of business for Sunshine Coast dad

A dad-of-two has taken advantage of the federal government’s relaxation of rules around kava importation to start his own business. Read more about how he’s doing it.

After a more than decade-long ban on importing a popular South Pacific drink, a Sunshine Coast man has taken advantage of rule changes to start bringing kava into Australia.

Buka Sokovagone is part of Australia’s kava pilot, a federal government program that allows its commercial importation into Australia for use as a food.

Prior to the pilot, kava importation had been banned by the government since 2007.

Travellers to Pacific islands like Fiji or Vanuatu may have tried the drink, or most likely been offered it at some point during their holiday.

It is a mix of the kava plant, usually ground into a powder, with water.

It is a depressant so like alcohol it slows messages between the brain and the body.

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It is used by many Pacific Islanders to strengthen community ties and to relax.

“Pacific Island people have been drinking it for hundreds of years,” Mr Sokovagone said.

Phase two of the pilot program began in December, 2021, and Mr Sokovagone, who was born in Fiji, launched his importation business a few weeks ago, called Kava Prince: Tekiteki Divine Kava.

The kava importer, a dad-of-two, works with a Fijian farmer and only imports the ground lateral kava roots.

He said that like different types of tea, different parts of the plant and subsequently the powders had different potencies.

The importer said the more potent part of the plant was the roots, and Mr Sokovagone’s powder is made from four-year-old roots.

“I’m the smallest importer in the pilot program,” he said.

Buka Sokovagone’s kava powder is made only from the roots of the plant, making it more potent. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“I’m testing the waters and building up my quality and product.”

He said his product is quality tested before it leaves the island nation.

“It undergoes a kavalactones test at a Fijian university so I can certify that it’s lab-tested,” Mr Sokovagone said.

The importer said the market worldwide was saturated, but like anything people had to pay for a quality product.

He said pre-Covid people were paying about $300 a kilogram, but due to market saturation it now sold for up to about $150 a kilogram.

“You can even buy it on Amazon,” he said.

The importer said his product was already selling well.

He is building a website that would eventually be home to business orders.

For more information contact Mr Sokovagone direct over Facebook Messenger.