From Tuvalu to Taranaki – the Lipine family builds reputation for excellence in just six months
For the Lipine family, moving to New Zealand wasn’t just a fresh start – it was an opportunity to build a future together.
They arrived from Tuvalu in July 2025 through the Pacific Access Category (PAC) scheme, a lottery-based programme offering a limited number of Pacific families the opportunity to live and work in New Zealand permanently. When their turn finally came, they jumped at the chance.
Within weeks of arriving, the family purchased a CrestClean franchise and hit the ground running. In just six months, their business has grown rapidly, nearly doubling in size, while their dedication to customers has earned them three Certificates of Excellence. For a team so new, their achievements make it seem as though they’ve been CrestClean franchise owners for years.
Before the move, Nito spent 10 years as a Maritime Officer in Tuvalu. Keeping the family together was a top priority, and returning to maritime work would have meant long periods away from home. A CrestClean franchise offered the perfect solution – a business they could build and run together.
Today, Nito, his wife Enilisa Talia, and their son Tagau head off to work side by side, while their younger children, aged 17 and 14, have settled well into life in Taranaki. Living by the sea also means Nito still has the chance to enjoy fishing in his downtime.
The family’s dedication means every customer gets their full attention, which is clearly paying off as they earned top scores in their latest customer satisfaction survey. With the support of Taranaki Regional Manager Naresh Mani, the Lipine family is quickly becoming one of the region’s standout teams.
“We’ve had good support from our regional manager. He gives us good advice,” says Nito.
The financial rewards from owning a business have exceeded expectations. As Nito explains, the harder you work in the business, the more you can save, and CrestClean is helping them move closer to their goal of owning a home.
Nito has also enjoyed developing new skills, particularly learning about cleaning techniques, chemicals, and equipment – an area he admits is far more detailed than he first imagined.
“It’s been great to learn it all and apply it to the workplaces we clean in,” he says.
Looking ahead, the team plans to upskill further so they can offer additional services such as carpet cleaning. They also hope to continue expanding, with the longer-term goal of helping other family members migrate to New Zealand.
Taranaki regional manager Naresh Mani says this team’s strong work ethic, positive attitude and passion for what they do will continue to drive their success. With such a strong start, Naresh knows this team will make a lasting contribution to the CrestClean family.
