The Maui News

Maui-based Hawaii Commercial Foods is doubling its production space and improving its operations in a move to the Maui Lani Village Center, where its new processing and distribution facility will be located.

Founded in a 50-square-foot kitchen in Kihei, Hawaii Commercial Foods has been manufacturing and selling its salads for more than two decades, according to a news release.

Its product line has grown from one item — kimchi — to 46 products including pickled onion, namasu, pasta salad, grab-and-go, ready-to-eat salads, mac-potato salad, wakame salad and takuan.

For the past 13 years, the company has operated from a 2,400-square-foot facility in Wailuku, but with growing customer demand they are “busting at the seams,” said President Joyce Harris.

The company has been adding new products and operating seven days a week, both day and night shifts.

“We definitely needed a bigger place,” she said.

So Harris purchased a unit at Commercial Row, a fee simple commercial warehouse condominium at the Maui Lani Village Center.

“It was perfect, almost doubles the size of our current operations, and the warehouse is already erected. All we have to do is make the interior improvements,” she said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Hawaii Commercial Foods is targeting to begin operations at the Maui Lani Village Center in early 2021.

“It’s terrific to see a mom-and-pop endeavor like Hawaii Commercial Foods work hard, be successful and invest in their future,” said Grant Howe of Commercial Properties of Maui.

For more information on the center, see mauilanivillagecenter.com.