Photo: Everett Chue (on right) at Pacific Industries Head office Port Moresby
Since its birth in 1936 as Gabriel Achun Bottling Co. Pacific Industries Ltd has emerged as a catalyst for social interaction through the manufacturing of food and beverages mainly by producing fast-moving consumer goods and distributing leading international brands. Their products range across a variety of soft drinks, bottled water, fruit juice, cordial, snacks and spreads.
In an interview with the current Company Director of Pacific Industries Ltd, Mr. Everett Chue, he gave a brief history of the company's origins.
Pacific Industries has come a long way since its establishment, the founder of Pacific Industries Ltd, Gabriel Achun Chue, (Grandfather of Everett Chue) and his wife survived WWII from the Japanese army's occupation in Rabaul in which they both were prisoners of war and developed the company exceedingly from its humble beginnings.
During WWII Rabaul, East New Britain Province 1941, The Australian Army entered into a joint venture with Pacific Industries Founder Gabriel Achun Chue to make soft drinks and cordial for the Allied forces in PNG and since then a factory was constructed in Rabaul to manufacture beverages. The factory was bombed and destroyed during the war and rebuilt in 1946 to again supply the allied troops. Brands such as Gold Spot were initiated in those early years and to this day, it remains one of the most popular soft drink brands in Papua New Guinea.
By the 1960s, the company had begun to diversify its product lines, Paul Chue (Everett's Father) took over the reins from his father in 1968 and was instrumental in monumental moments that have shaped the company's efforts. Such efforts began over 70 years ago and have since become an integral part of the Company. While there are countless projects and initiatives started by the Company, there are some major turning points highlighted in this timeline of events.
- 1941 Pacific Industries starts manufacturing Gold Spot Soft Drinks for allied troops in Papua New Guinea
- 1969 Pacific Industries was granted the bottling license to produce Coca Cola Products for the New Guinea Islands.
- 1979 Pacific Industries granted exclusive distribution license for all Vita products.
- 1989 Current Managing Director Paul Chue expands Pacific Industries from Rabaul and builds a new manufacturing plant in Port Moresby, 6 Mile.
- 1994: Volcanic eruption decimates Rabaul town, including Pacific Industries' factory.
- 1995: Pacific Industries' factory rebuild is complete and manufacturing returns to full capacity.
- 2009 Pacific Industries ceases production of Coca Cola products after 40 years.
- 2012 Pacific Industries launches Gogo Cola
- 2015 Pacific Industries completes its first Ice Cream manufacturing plant in Port Moresby and starts manufacturing the Scoops range of ice cream.
- 2019 Pacific Industries successively granted bottling license to manufacture PepsiCo Products in PNG.
The Director Mr Everett Chue has also confirmed new developments that will be taking place. He said, "Currently we have one Distribution facility centre under construction in Lae, Morobe province and we also have two manufacturing facilities being upgraded in Port Moresby".
Pacific Industries staff at Pacific Industries Head office Port Moresby
Sustainability, diversity and innovation are not something new at Pacific Industries as shown by their innovative initiative to produce Hand Sanitizers which were in high demand during the Covid-19 crisis. He said "Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we also started to make hand sanitisers in 3 different package sizes".
Since the company's establishment, its efforts have covered a wide range of product initiatives and developments. Pacific Industry is now a third generation run business in Papua New Guinea and for more than 80 years it has managed to retain its popularity and keep up with the times while still remaining entrenched in nostalgia.
Their head office is located in Port Moresby with 9 branches nationwide, two manufacturing plants and two branches in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Pacific Industries prides itself in being one of the pioneers and leading companies of the FMCG industry in the country with a history that spans almost a century in Papua New Guinea.
