Food system businesses win Kamehameha Schools’ Mahi‘ai Match-Up

Apr 29, 2022

Kamehameha Schools announced that three Native Hawaiian-owned food systems businesses are the winners of Mahi‘ai Match-Up, an agricultural business plan competition, at the ‘Aha ‘Aina Pauahi event at its Pearl Country Club on Sunday evening. Mahi‘ai Match-Up is a part of Kamehameha Schools’ commitment to strengthen Hawaii’s agriculture industry and food systems for future generations.

The 2022 winners of Mahi‘ai Match-Up are:

• Waiahole Poi Factory - $25,000 cash award and expansion opportunity at a Kamehameha Schools commercial property within Kapalama Kai, Oahu.
• Kanekoa Farm - $15,000 cash award and an agricultural land agreement on Kamehameha Schools lands on Oahu.
• Awa Bird - $10,000 cash award and an agricultural land agreement on Kamehameha Schools lands on Hawaii island.

“Ulupono Initiative is committed to improving the quality of life for future generations in Hawaii, which we work to achieve by investing and partnering with others to increase local food production; advance reliable, affordable renewable energy; and build a cleaner, more equity-enhancing transportation system,” said Greg Gaug, senior vice president of Investments and Analytics for Ulupono Initiative, who was one of the competition judges. “Mahi‘ai Match-Up highlights Hawaii’s innovative thinkers and doers who have solutions to help address our state’s dependence on food imports and a just-in-time delivery model that leaves the people of our state at risk."

Ulupono Initiative, a Mahi‘ai sponsor since the program’s inception in 2013, donated $25,000 toward prize money for the agricultural parcel winners.

Read more in Maui Now.