Tania Falanitule and Nina Ikitule

New Zealand born cousins Niuean Tania (Nia) and Niuean/ Māori Nina both grew up together in Auckland as a part of a close-knit Polynesian family. Many of their family gatherings took place at their Nana and Pa’s house where food was always the centre of every occasion. Watching their Nana cook each dish with love and care and sharing her memories with their families cemented Nia and Nina’s passion for food.

Growing up together meant Nia and Nina had a great understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and were able to leverage this when creating their business NiuEats.  Proud Polynesian women, they love incorporating the flavours of the Pacific in their beautiful desserts, featuring tropical fruits in their delicious chia puddings and using traditional Koko Samoa in cupcakes, slices and their unique chocolate hummus.

Nia and Nina applied for the Kitchen Project after a recommendation through their friend Reesie, and they haven’t looked back! Nia says “It has helped us gain a clear sense of who we are as a business, the direction we want to go in and how to get there.”  She added one of the highlights has been having a group of people who share the same fears and similar goals in setting up a food-based business from scratch.  “Being able to share those fears and knowing that we are not alone and that we have the support of The Kitchen Project is really comforting.’

Nia and Nina hope to one day own their own store where they can share their gorgeous desserts with the community. They both want to leave a legacy for their children, and to inspire others to take the leap of faith and see that with hard work they can succeed.

For now, you can follow the NiuEats team on Instagram and Facebook. They sell products via their website https://store.niueats.co.nz/ and at the La Cigale markets in Parnell every Saturday and Sunday.