Four Shells Kava Lounge in the Auckland CBD has revealed a world first, A kava vending machine giving many other ways to enjoy this popular drink.
This automated machine allows new customers and regular kava drinkers to buy kava outside of regular business hours.
Stocked with pre-mixed kava along with the powder itself and an instant variety, the machine is just a modern extension of the way kava has always been bought and sold, Four Shells co-owner Todd Henry said.
Kava is entirely legal in New Zealand, regulated as a food under the Food Standards Code.
The legal standing of the drink was further solidified by a 2020 decision by an international food standards body.
The decision established that the root, when mixed with water, was legally a drink and able to be traded internationally.
Kava has always been incredibly popular in the pacific islands and used in many traditional rituals and ceremonies but has become increasingly popular in the mainstream.
Four shells was not the first Kava focused business in Auckland but is one of the most well-known as it was also the first to offer delivery via UberEats.
Other kava businesses offered the peppery beverage before Four Shells and kava has been available for sale from shops, dairies, and private homes for generations.
Drinking clubs like the Tongan kalapu offer space for community and talanoa, the open and respectful dialogue that accompanies kava drinking in formal and informal settings.
The drink is made from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant and has a long history of tradition in the pacific and can be found across many islands.
Photo Credit: Heart of the city
