Pacific businesses have been told their products need to be marketed well in New Zealand and communicate their unique difference.
The Pacific Wave Conference was held in Auckland on Tuesday aiming at boosting export growth among Pacific businesses.
Contributors such as award-winning chef and author Robert Oliver, says the time is right as tourists and even people who stay home are more and more interested in authentic Pacific food and other products.
Jennifer Boggiss, the co-founder and director of one success story, Heilala Vanilla, says apart from capital and having a good team of people, she says a unique selling point is crucial.
"When you go into a global market and there's ten vanillas on the shelves, why are they going to pick up yours, so you need to have some sort of unique point of difference about any product that comes from the Pacific."
Jennifer Boggiss says she wants to make Heilala Vanilla the recognised Tongan export, as Fiji Water is to Fiji.
