Foodland Announces Mana Up Partnership and Mānele Spice Company Launch

Manele Spice Co.

Manele Spice Co.

Manele Spice Co.

Foodland Kehalani. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Manele Spice Co.

Foodland is launching the new product line from Mānele Spice Company created by Food Network star and local celebrity chef, Adam Tabura.

The launch is part of a new partnership between Foodland and Mana Up, a local accelerator focused on growing Hawaiʻi-based products globally.

The partnership is geared toward providing the know-how, connections, and resources to grow more Hawaiʻi-based products and give them access to island consumers and visitors. The Mana Up initiative aims to build Hawaiʻi’s next 100 product companies earning $10 million or more in annual revenue. Mana Up has a 12-week accelerator program geared to help Hawaiʻi product entrepreneurs to scale their businesses globally.

Mānele Spice Co. combines Hawaiʻi ocean rock salt with natural ingredients from around the world. The salt blends feature familiar flavors of Hawaiʻi, including names like Mānele Bay Everyday Blend and Backyard Imu Smoked Salt Blend.

Tabura, “Cutthroat Kitchen” contestant and winner of the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” with Aloha Plate, has been the executive chef for some of Hawaiʻi’s top resorts and restaurants and is originally from Lānaʻi where he spent much of his childhood at Mānele Bay. Mānele Spice Co’s first line of products will be available exclusively at all Foodland stores in Hawaiʻi, including Foodland Farms.

“Our partnership with Mana Up will provide local entrepreneurs a strong pipeline to test and market their products to local consumers and visitors, while also giving Foodland customers the opportunity to try new, exciting and innovative offerings from locally based companies,” said Foodland Chairman and CEO Jenai S. Wall. “As a local company, we believe it’s important that we do our part to ensure the success of these young local businesses and are proud to support them.”

Mānele Spice Company products can be found at all Foodland stores across the state. Chef Tabura is scheduled to appear at the following stores for demos and product tastings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

• Friday, Dec. 6: Foodland Farms ʻĀina Haina
• Wednesday, Dec. 11: Foodland Farms Pearl City
• Friday, Dec. 13: Foodland Farms Ala Moana
• Saturday, Dec. 14: Foodland Kehalani, Maui

“We’re hopeful that this partnership will provide the testing ground and in-your-backyard validation and act as a launch pad for our local companies to expand internationally from right here in Hawaiʻi. This partnership is a great example of what can be done when we work together as a community and leverage each other’s strengths,” said Mana Up Co-founder Meli James.