Following a store blessing by Kahu Earl Kukahiko of Waiola Church, Vice-Chairman Roger Wall (yellow shirt) watches Foodland District Manager Robert Murphy (left) and Store Director Clifford Rafanan untie the maile at the front door of the new Foodland Farms Lahaina store.

LAHAINA — Foodland Super Market Ltd., Hawaii’s largest locally owned grocery retailer and operators of Foodland and Sack N Save, reached an agreement with Kalama Beach Corporation to take over the operations of Lahaina Farms on Maui.

Located at the Lahaina Gateway center on Honoapiilani Highway, Lahaina Farms is a 14,000-square-foot supermarket that opened in June 2008. The transition took place on Sept. 22, and the store will reopen as Foodland Farms Lahaina.

This will be the third Foodland Farms store to open in Hawaii and the first on Maui. Other Foodland Farms stores are located in Mauna Lani on the Big Island and Aina Haina on Oahu.

“Foodland Farms has been very well received by customers, and we are very excited to now share it with the people of Maui,” said Jenai S. Wall, chairman and CEO of Foodland Super Market Ltd.

“Our new store will continue to provide customers the excellent products and service they enjoyed at Lahaina Farms, and will now feature the additional great value, specials, programs and rewards available through Foodland’s Maika’i Card,” continued Wall.

Lahaina Farms transitioned to Foodland Farms Lahaina last week Wednesday. Customers can now capitalize on specials available through Foodland’s Maika‘i Card.

Like Lahaina Farms, Foodland Farms Lahaina offers residents and visitors a wide selection of island grown, specialty, gourmet, natural, organic and traditional favorites from Hawaii, as well as many varieties from around the world. The full-service supermarket includes a bakery, deli, meat, seafood and produce departments, as well as a R. Field Wine Company fine foods store, coffee kiosk, and gelato bar featuring Maui’s own Ono Gelato. The store also provides fresh, prepared foods, quick-and-easy meal solutions and unique items, along with customers’ favorite grocery products, all in a convenient location with excellent service.

Foodland Super Market Ltd. was founded in 1948 by the late Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan. It was the first modern supermarket to open in Hawaii. Today, the kama’aina company employs approximately 2,500 people at 32 Foodland, Sack N Save and Foodland Farms stores on four islands and is Hawaii’s largest locally owned and operated grocery retailer.

The Kalama Beach Corporation is one of three affiliated retail corporations owned by the Sullivan Family. Founded in 1970, the company operated the first Hallmark greeting card stores in Hawaii. The locally owned company operates four Malama Market stores on Oahu and the Big Island, as well as Pahoa Gas N Go.

Foodland Farms Lahaina will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 662-7088 for information.