An online grocery store on Maui recently celebrated $2 million that have gone to local farmers, ranchers and producers since 2020.
The nonprofit Maui Hub, an online store and farmers market, sells and delivers produce and value-added products from about 100 producers on island. Earlier this month, it reported that farmers and producers had profited $2 million since 2020 by selling with the hub.
Its usage has grown over the last few years. Brandi Sagon, manager for Maui Hub, said it’s also provided an important service since the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Lahaina fires.
“ We've considerably grown. I would say since 2020 and a year or two after that, we consistently saw more community residents becoming very interested in this type of service. And then the fires hit, which even more so we stepped in and were able to help families in need. So, the need for it is definitely very high throughout the community,” Sagon said.
The nonprofit was formed soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when hotels and restaurants stopped buying from local farmers and the tourism industry came to a halt.
Local farmers turned to organizations like Maui Hub to sell their fruits and vegetables. Those organizations help farmers reach customers and take care of non-farming activities like marketing and deliveries.
Sagon said that Maui Hub’s growth may lead to it becoming a for-profit business. She said it wants to expand and could be interested in a commercial kitchen, which she mentioned is lacking on Maui.
The kitchen could help producers make value-added products.
For more information on Maui Hub, click here.
