We’re asking customers to share what they love about their local natural products store. This month, the spotlight shines on one shopper’s experience at Mana Foods in Maui, HI.
Health and Fitness enthusiast Michelle Keldgord, Co-founder of BakingHow, does her best to lead a healthy lifestyle each and every day. Key to her success: having access to quality food options. Her favorite place to stock up is Mana Foods, located in the heart of Paia town, on Maui’s north shore in Hawaii. Founded in 1983 and now employing over 150 people, Mana Foods is known for its variety of natural, local, and organic products.“This is one of the best health food stores I have ever been to, and it has all of my favorite foods,” Keldgord shares. “One of my favorite things about Mana is that they have a large selection of local meat and produce. I try to shop local as often as possible because I believe it’s an important environmental concern. Mana has farm-fresh produce, and I can usually get fresh-caught fish and local beef here as well.”
Mana also helps make life sweeter. “They have a wonderful little bakery that offers excellent sweet treats,” Keldgord says. “I try to limit my sugar intake, but I really enjoy a few low-sugar options offered here. Mana buys products from local bakeries, so the grocery itself helps support the local economy.”
That’s a key aspect of the store’s mission. With over 400 local vendors, Mana Foods explains on its website (www.manafoodsmaui.com) that it strives to support the local business community, boasting an average of 50% locally grown produce and 90% certified organic or unsprayed items.
In addition to the delicious food offerings, Mana’s Vitamin Room features a wide variety of high-quality products to support a natural lifestyle. Shoppers can also stock up on beauty products with the pure ingredients at low prices. The store offers gifts and household goods, including kitchen and cooking tools, glassware, coffee makers, water filters, mason jars, and more.Prioritizing sustainable business practice is also essential to the Mana team. Just a few examples of their efforts: The deli department uses biodegradable plastic-wear, and to-go containers that are made from corn. Fresh meat products and deli sandwiches are packaged in compostable, gluten-free trays made from wheat stalks. To reduce waste, local farms that supply Mana’s fresh produce pick up the store’s compostable byproducts, so nothing green goes in the trash. Mana also features a solar energy system, LED lights, and energy-efficient coolers and freezers.
All in all, the efforts of the Mana staff leave shoppers smiling. “Having easy access to healthy and local food has changed my life for the better,” says Keldgord. “My body, mind, and heart feel good when I shop at Mana."
