Maui Business

In the wake of Mainland owners of Maui County’s only daily newspaper attempting to cut pay and outsource work, the company has been hit with a federal unfair labor practice charge. One of Ogden’s leaders, Bob Nutting, also owns the Pittsburg Pirates. An online petition with more than 60,000 signatures is pressuring MLB to force Nutting to sell the Pirates, alleging the team’s losing streak is tied to its greedy ownership.

Ticket sales for the 28th Annual Made in Hawaii Festival presented by Mahi Pono will launch on Saturday, Oct. 1. The state’s longest-running showcase of made-in-Hawai‘i products returns to Ala Moana Center over the Veteran’s Day Holiday Weekend, Nov. 11 – 13, 2022. Two-hour, timed entry passes are $13 and all-day passes for in and out access are $35 and will be available online. Attendees can receive $1 off timed entry tickets or all-day passes with code MIHF22, available until Oct. 15.

Minimum wage workers prepare for Oct 1. Increase to wage. Plus information on the upcoming increase and how the “tip penalty” works in practice.

In August 2022, there were 265,410 visitors to Maui, which is just 3% less than the pre-pandemic numbers in August 2019, but they spent $68 million more.

Small food entrepreneurs looking to grow their business will receive helpful information during two webinars in October on food safety and labeling, presented by Maui Food Technology Center.

Flavors of Italy, a Native Hawaiian, woman-owned business, has been issued a $250,000 Hua Kanu loan through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Mālama Loans program.  

As a result of a company-wide annual campaign, the Hawaii State Federal Credit Union donated 625 pounds of food and $5,500 to the Maui Food Bank.

The Maui Food Technology Center facilitated the participation of five Maui vendors in the 94th Tokyo International Gift Show held in Tokyo in Sept. 7-9.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has issued a Request for Proposals for strategic visitor education and destination brand marketing and management services for the Japan market.

Ohana Fuels’ ‘Fuel Up. Do Good.’ Community Giving Program donated $6,026 to The Maui Farm that provides traditional housing and family programs.

Maui Economic Opportunity had its Better Business Bureau Charity Seal Licensing renewed through August 2023.

John Arnold, who helped Maui Economic Opportunity establish its business development and migrant farmworker programs, brought staff and board members from his Arizona-based nonprofit to Maui last week, where he met with local nonprofits, businesses and government agencies.

Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel in West Maui was recognized in the General Contractors Association 19th annual Build Hawaiʻi Awards.

The popular restaurant founded by renowned Chef Peter Merriman has two locations on the island – in Wailea and Kāʻanapali – as well as two Adopt-A-Highway segments: between mile markers 3.5 to 5.5 along Piʻilani Highway, and from mile markers 16 to 18 along Honoapiʻilani Highway.

In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Kapalua Golf is holding a fundraising outing on Oct. 20 on The Bay Course.  A portion of funds from this special day will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through its Play for P.I.N.K.

Customers were automatically entered to win by simply using their personal CPB Contactless Debit Card to make purchases. In all CPB received nearly 2 million entries between the contest period from July 1 through Aug. 31, 2022.

Yelp recently recognized VigiLatte Artisan Coffee in Lahaina, Maui, as the No. 1 coffee shop in Hawaiʻi, and one of the top coffee shops in the US and Canada.

University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization’s economic forecast released today predicts a mild recession for the US in the first half of next year. One silver lining is that Hawai’i may escape those impacts, thanks to the return of Japanese visitors. However, Maui County and Kauaʻi will likely feel the brunt of the downturn because of their reliance on US Mainland tourism, which is already slowing, Dr. Carl Bonham, UHERO executive director, said during a news conference Thursday.

The Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation and Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association Educational Foundation – will each receive $43,000 as part of ASB’s efforts to help Hawaiʻi’s local restaurant and food supply chain industry, two industries that were greatly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association announced their 2022-2023 Board of Directors at their annual meeting held on Sept. 21 at the Grand Wailea Resort.