KAHULUI — Maui Hub is celebrating better, more equitable access to local food, as it starts operations in its new expanded facility with warehouse partner Sun Fresh in Kahului.

Maui Hub is a nonprofit organization that formed during the beginning of COVID-19 lockdowns to connect Maui’s local food producers directly with customers.

“Itʻs a bit like an online farmers’ market that delivers to your area or your home. The aggregation and distribution infrastructure supported local farmers and producers through COVID while also creating much-needed infrastructure that will increase local food production and access in the long term,” said Keith Ranney, executive director.

Maui Hub accepts EBT and applies a 50 percent DA BUX discount on fruit and vegetables for all EBT customers. Since August of 2020, $203,018 of EBT funds have been spent through Maui Hub.

“Itʻs important to remember that those are federal funds that we have routed directly to our local farmers to benefit our local economy, while also bringing fresh food to folks who need it most,” said Ranney.

“Buying local food is important for so many reasons,” said Autumn Ness, Maui Hub board vice president.

“It makes Maui more resilient in times of crisis and supply chain interruptions, makes us less reliant on tourism dollars and keeps money spent on food circulating locally. Locally grown food also just tastes better and lasts longer than food that came across the ocean.”

Since its inception in April of 2020, Maui Hub has paid $608,410 to local farms and producers.

“Almost every dollar spent stays on Maui, circulating to other local businesses. That’s a big deal, and it happens one grocery bag at a time, so we are grateful to our customers for supporting this model,” Ness said.

Maui Hub’s mission has two basic components. It supports local farmers and producers with processing, selling and distributing food, so they can concentrate on doing what they do best — producing more food.

“We truly couldn’t be more pleased with Maui Hub! The pandemic drastically impacted our wholesale business, and Maui Hub really helped to shift our produce sales to the retail market,” said Ryan Earehart of Oko’a Farms.

“Maui Hub is fair and super easy to work with. Their online ordering system is great! I’m grateful for all the work the volunteers have put into Maui Hub, and we hope to have a long future working with them.”

Maui Hub also seeks to ensure equitable access to fresh, healthy food, for even Maui’s most vulnerable residents.

There is a “Give a Gift” fund that goes to folks who are in crisis, for various reasons, so they can purchase food at mauihub.org.

The hub has announced its organizational values, which Ness hopes will guide its own growth as well as the growth of the agricultural industry as a whole.

“Maui Hub is a values-based organization, and we will strive as we grow to stay true to them,” Ness explained. “The hub, and our food system as a whole, has a lot of work to do to say that we live up to these values. We have set the bar high, but we are committed to the task.”

Some of Maui Hub’s values statements include:

Maui Hub recognizes that there is an inherent benefit to agriculture that protects our local ecosystems and doesn’t use synthetic chemical inputs. Maui Hub is committed to reducing synthetic inputs in our environment and our bodies, while also remaining staunchly pro-farmer.

Systemic change — Maui Hub recognizes that existing policies, funding and food infrastructure favors large-scale conventional agriculture. We aim to level the playing field by paying fair prices to farmers, living wages to our staff, and making local food cost accessible to Maui’s workforce.

Guided by Native Hawaiian values and a sense of place. We have a kuleana to ensure that Native Hawaiian farmers and the traditional agricultural systems they maintain to cultivate food are well represented.

Maui Hub seeks to expand services into more areas, especially those considered “food deserts” where food access is limited. It is currently seeking partnerships with organizations that serve at-risk or low-income individuals or families that want to ensure better access to healthy food for their clients.

To shop, donate or sign up to sell products through Maui Hub, go to www.mauihub.org. Customers can use the code HUB10 for a one-time free home delivery now through April 5.