Whole Foods scouting for local growers

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KAHULUI - After the blessing of construction of the Whole Foods Market at the Maui Mall on Wednesday, guests were invited to nosh on radishes, pineapple and strawberries from Maui, papayas from Molokai, cucumbers and broccoli from the Big Island and tomatoes from Oahu.

Much of it was organically grown.

Claire Sullivan, the community and vendor relations coordinator for the chain, said she is busy looking for local suppliers of, preferably, organic foods.

The Whole Foods chain offers assistance to farmers - including even very small ones.

Sullivan said she has visited growers "with 10 fruit trees."

The chain, based in Austin, Texas, has more than 270 stores and had sales of $6.6 billion last year.

The Maui store, to open in the spring of 2010, will be the second in Hawaii, and two more are planned for Oahu later that year.

Local suppliers already signed include Surfing Goat Dairy, Maui Brewing Co., Howard's Nurseries and Kula Grown Organic Produce on Maui and Kumu Farms on Molokai.

Sullivan said Whole Foods has a local loan program, which can provide up to $100,000 for established suppliers to improve or expand their operations. No loans have been awarded in Hawaii yet, but the company is working on several applications with Big Island growers.

Local supply is important, said Sullivan, who formerly worked with Maui Land & Pineapple Co. on sustainability projects, for both quality and security of food supply.