Umani Farms Maui nets top prize in MEO Best Business Plan contest

Irish Mahoney’s Umani Farms Maui business plan was judged the top entry and winner of a $15,000 grant in the fourth Best Business Plan contest, staged by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center.

The contest, which announced six winners earlier this week, was funded by a $60,000 grant from the Maui County Office of Economic Development to provide financial support for start-up businesses countywide. Entrants had to complete a five-week Business Development Center Core Four Business Planning Course during the fiscal year, July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

A total of 12 plans were submitted for a juried review by an outside panel of three community development partners. The top six plans received grants with amounts based on ranking. Five of the winners came from Maui and one from Lānaʻi.

The top prize went to Umani Farms, a start-up micro-greens farm in Makawao. Mahoney has been involved in farming since an early age and saw an opportunity to turn her passion into a business that provides for the Maui community.

Her business plan calls for growing and supplying fresh organic micro-greens to local restaurants, grocery stores and health conscious consumers while employing sustainable agricultural practices. The plants selected are nutrient dense and popular in the culinary world for vibrant flavors, aesthetics and health benefits.

“Umani” means “to harvest” in the Filipino Tagalog dialect, which Mahoney said connects the farm to the agricultural heritage and the land that defines her mission.

“At Umani Farms Maui, we believe that harvesting is not merely the act of gathering crops; it symbolizes the culmination of hard work, dedication and respect for nature,” Mahoney said. “Our farm celebrates this philosophy, where every seed sown represents a commitment to sustainability, quality and community.”

The other winners and their grant amounts follow:

• Wealth Worthy Wahine, financial resource and training platform for women offering online and in-person workshops; $12,500.
• HI Caliber Concrete, service company specializing in concrete and asphalt cutting, concrete coring and other masonry services for residential and commercial customers; $10,500.
• I Love Lanai Tacos, a food trailer on Lānaʻi specializing in authentic Mexican dishes; $9,000.
• Thriftly, online secondhand apparel marketplace; $7,500.
• Maui Harvest Delights, mobile fruit and farm stand in Keʻanae with soft serve farm-to-table frozen treats and locally grown produce; $5,000.

Judging for the contest was based on business plan narrative and summary, marketing plan, operational plan, cash flow projections and economic diversity impact to Maui’s economy.

“Many entrepreneurs are hampered by the inability to garner funding to get their start-ups off the ground,” said BDC Director David Daly. “We thank the County of Maui for providing a boost to small business start-ups, who are prepared for success through our Core Four business planning series, and expanding the economic base of the county, which is dominated by small businesses.”

The Core Four business planning class series covers writing a business plan and provides the information needed to start, operate and grow a business. It is geared for those thinking of starting a business or who are just starting and need direction. It is offered multiple times during the year on Maui and Moloka‘i.

The course costs $75. Financial assistance is available upon request. For more information about Core Four, call 808-249-2990 or go to www.meoinc.org.