Waimanalo Market Co-op local grown
Mahalo Nui for your support!
Waimanalo Market Co-op, a unique community driven consumer cooperative, is a neighborhood market where local small farmers sell their produce, and our community and everyone can buy locally grown, reasonably priced food that is fresh and healthy. Waimanalo is taking action to improve food security on O'ahu. Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op!
The Co-op, open since November 2013, is community-based economic development and social enterprise, in action. We have been operating primarily through volunteers, pro bono services, grants and member-owner dues. Like many small start-ups, we are in need of funds to move forward to achieve long term self-sustainability. Your help is deeply appreciated and we would love to have you visit us at the Waimanalo Market Co-op, 41-1029 Kalaniana'ole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI 96795. Our daily hours are currently Thursday-Sunday, 9am – 6pm, with a farmers and other value-added vendors direct section growing each Saturday. ---With your help, in the near future, the Co-op will open 6 days a week and move from ice chests to refrigeration.
Why does Hawai'i import the vast majority of it's produce? Produce that is less healthy and less palatable than what we can grow here, on our island in our rich volcanic soil during our year-round tropical growing season? One reason that we import so much of our produce is that our local small farmers cannot compete with big agri-business because they do not have a retail venue that is scaled for them.
A large supermarket will not likely buy one box of kale or two dozen guavas a small farmer or back yard grower offers irregularly, but Waimanalo Market Co-op does. The Co-op buys and sells produce from over 80 small farmers/growers – produce that has usually been harvested that same day. We also sell distinctive value-added products and locally made arts and crafts from from over 60 community artists/crafters.
Working together, we believe we have a local solution to increase health, wealth, and social well-being community-wide. This is similar to the traditional Hawaiian island based ahupua'a of people working together for collective well-being from the ocean to the mountains. We gather at the Co-op to create, exchange ideas and recipes, learn about produce and share information.
We are a consumer cooperative, not a 501c3 so your donations are not tax deductible, but we do exist solely for the benefit of community. Mahalo for your support.
eat local! live pono! celebrate community!
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