Businesses on Kauaʻi report that they’ve been rebounding from their COVID-era downturns.
For a recent roundtable discussion with Kauaʻi business leaders, Pacific Business News invited back two who had been on the same roundtable in 2021, when Garden Isle businesses were reeling from COVID-era disruptions. From then to now, both are seeing better days.
Mark Perriello is president and CEO of the Kauaʻi Chamber of Commerce. He said membership in the chamber declined 25% through the pandemic.
It’s now bouncing back, between 10 and 20 new members each month. Networking events are back, too.
A recent chamber lunch with Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami drew about 340 guests. “That’s pre-COVID event numbers for us," Perriello said.
The chamber’s top priority now is workforce development via training programs, to help members overcome the shortage of qualified labor.
Another returning guest was Bob Gunter, president and CEO of Kōloa Rum Co. In 2021, supply chain issues were so bad, he couldn’t even get the same bottlecaps he’d been using.
Those issues have evened out, he said, though prices for his inputs remain 25% to 40% higher than before the pandemic disruptions.
Now Gunter is moving forward with delayed plans to expand the distillery in three phases over the coming year.
Phase one, planned to begin construction in January, is a new 48,000-square-foot facility, which will include a distillery, warehouse space and offices.
