We are so excited that Whole Foods Market Kahului opened its doors to the public for the first time at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning to a crowd of excited shoppers.

Morning festivities kicked off with Whole Foods Market's traditional bread breaking ceremony, food and product samples by local vendors as well as demonstrations. The first 200 shoppers to spend $50 or more were also treated to a Whole Foods Market Kahului exclusive reusable tote, with a fresh Maui Gold pineapple inside.

In celebration of its grand opening, the store has planned a number of community events for local shoppers throughout March, including Whole Foods Market's signature Value Tours, starting on Sunday, February 28 -- which offers useful tips to help customers shop for nutritious foods on a budget -- and Health Starts Here Consultations, starting on March 5, which allows shoppers to enjoy a free 15 minute consultation with insight into nutritional needs and tips on how to get or stay healthy. Reservations are required and can be made via email to marketing@wholefoods.com.

"Whole Foods Market is committed to the Hawai'i market and providing our loyal shoppers with access to the highest-quality produce available and a great selection of local products," said Patrick Bradley, Whole Foods Market president of the Southern Pacific Region.

On Wednesday, March 3, stock up at Whole Foods Market to support The Maui Farm, during the store's first Community Support Day. Five percent of the store's net sales from that day will be donated to The Maui Farm to help the local nonprofit nurture individual and family self-sufficiency through farm-based, family style residential programs.

For additional information on Whole Foods Market's Kahului store, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/maui/  or call (808) 872-3310.

About Whole Foods Market

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFMI), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America's first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named "America's Healthiest Grocery Store" by Health magazine. The company's motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet" captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company's more than 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine for 13 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2009, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 280 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
 

This new store will be one of our favorites we can guarantee you that!  When we travel we always search out the local Whole Foods and/or Wild Oats stores - it's just that much more of a cut above the rest.  Warm alohas from Sunny and Richard, and we hope to see you soon.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Maui's largest and longest running celebration of its famous wintertime residents, the humpback whales! Whale Day is the signature event of the Maui Whale Festival. In honor of its 30th anniversary, Whale Day will also be bigger than ever, with live music by some of Hawaii's top musicians, a new "Made on Maui" vendor fair, more restaurant food booths with great food by popular Maui restaurants, expanded environmental displays, activities for kids, a free Sk8 for Whales tournament and lots of information about whales! Whale Day is free and open to all. The Whale Day Celebration will take place Saturday, February 20, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Kalama Park in Kihei.

Voted "Best Community Festival" by the Maui Time Reader's Poll, Whale Day is Maui's largest and longest running celebration of whales! Presented by Pacific Whale Foundation, Whale Day is a free, all-day celebration of Maui's humpback whales that takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Kalama Park (by the big whale statue) on South Kihei Road, Kihei.

Whale Day features live entertainment all day by some of Hawaii's top musicians. This year Cecilio and Kapono will be headlining an all-star lineup, including Na Leo Pilimehana, Anuhea, George Kahumoku, Jr., John Cruz (performing with Hutch Hutchinson, bassist for Bonnie Raitt's band), and Marty Dread, a huge vendor fair displaying the work of about 100 local artisans, tantalizing food booths by popular Maui restaurants, a fun-filled children's activites, silent auction, the Wild and Wonderful Whale Regata, skateboarding competition for kids and displays about the environment and whales.

Proceeds from Whale Day will support marine education programs for schoolchildren on Maui.

For information about Whale Day, please call (808) 856-8333

 

We live in a beautiful and fragile environment called Maui.  There are many of us who are self described stewards of the land and try to help keep our island home as pristine as possible. 

A case in point is a new volunteer group who decided they wanted to do something to help the marine environment on Maui, and wanted to clean 12 West Maui reefs over the next 12 months.

The Blue ‘Aina campaign was born. 

Each month, a different reef is chosen, and along with Surfrider Foundation and up to 50 volunteers, they clean fishing line, mooring lines, rubbish and nets off the reef and beach.

The first Blue ‘Aina event was held the first weekend in December at Honolua Bay, where volunteers helped to remove leashes, broken surfboards, fishing line and marine debris.

They heard about a distressed reef at “Shark Pit” in Lahaina, where a large fishing net was stuck on the reef. That became the site of their second cleanup on the first weekend of January.

On Feb. 7, Surfrider Foundation and Trilogy took over 40 volunteers to Mala Wharf to remove fishing line, bottles, cans, carpet, mooring lines and fishing nets. They even used a 100-pound lift bag to remove part of a sunken boat that had been shifting in surf and damaging the reef.

Volunteers cleaned the outer reef, inner reef and the beach, where they removed tires, building materials, marine debris, bottles and other rubbish.

During the Blue ‘Aina event, volunteers also tested the water for acidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, phosphates and nitrates.

Blue ‘Aina events will continue the first weekend of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. There is a suggested donation of $10. Half of the fee goes to Surfrider, and 50 percent supports reef awareness programs.   The March cleanup may be held at Mala or Puamana Park. 

Lunch and refreshments are provided. To sign up, or to report a reef in distress, call Trilogy Excursions at 808 661-4743, extension 3.

We can't think of a nicer way to say 'thank you to Maui' for being such a special home to those of us lucky enough to live here.  If you are visiting and want to help, call the nice folks over at Trilogy.  We guarantee you will feel better by the end of the day knowing you have done a small part to help keep Maui alive.

Warm alohas from Sunny and Richard.