[Source: abc News]

Samoa’s business community is reeling after a decision to shift the brewing operations of locally-made beer Vailima to Fiji.

Now the Samoan Chamber of Commerce is working overtime to repair the damage done to business confidence, following the bombshell announcement.

The chamber’s CEO Hobart Vaai said the move caught the community by surprise.

“Our local business community are very upset at the decision given Vailima’s iconic place in our history,” he said.

“It’s been our main brewery for a very long time and it’s something that has close affiliation to Samoa. It is marketed as being Samoa-made and the fact it’s moving to Fiji has caused a lot of people to be upset.”

Paradise Breweries said in statement to Pacific Beat that it is open to keeping its operations in Samoa if a viable option presents itself.

It also said it would keep the brand alive by using the same traditional methods to brew its beer.