NAWILIWILI — The County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed on first reading a bill which would allow value-added products to be sold at Sunshine Markets across the island. Kaua‘i’s Sunshine Markets first appeared in 1978 and have “really blossomed” since,
NAWILIWILI — The County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed on first reading a bill which would allow value-added products to be sold at Sunshine Markets across the island.
Kaua‘i’s Sunshine Markets first appeared in 1978 and have “really blossomed” since, creating many opportunities for Kaua‘i farmers, said Councilman Derek Kawakami, who introduced the bill.
But Kunana Dairy co-owner Louisa Wooten, who was the director of the first Sunshine Market, was never able to sell her Kaua‘i made honey and goat-cheese products in the markets, because of processed-food restrictions.
It all may soon change, giving Wooten and many other Kaua‘i farmers an opportunity to cash in on a growing trend in Hawai‘i’s agricultural industry, value-added products.
“When you think about how can we create more opportunities or profitability for farmers, is when you can take a raw product, create a value to it and then market it. That’s where profitability really pops out,” Kawakami said.
“It’s the next level for our Sunshine Market. I think it’s going to be a really good thing for our island,” said Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, who was instrumental in introducing the markets on Kaua‘i in the late 1970s.
Despite promoting value-added products, Draft Bill 2400 limits the number of vendors selling those products to a ratio of one to eight grocery vendors. The Kapa‘a Sunshine Market, for example, which has a little over 50 produce vendors, would be allowed seven value-added vendors.
“Because this is a new venture, we didn’t want to get too ambitious about it,” said Kawakami, who introduced the bill. “If this thing starts rolling, that one-eighth may go up to one-fourth, maybe one-half.”
The bill would also allow vendors to offer recyclable bags and/or reusable bags for sale to customers.
Councilwoman Nadine Nakamura said vendors at the Sunshine Markets currently don’t have the authority to sell recyclable bags.
“It just creates a level playing field,” she said of the bill.
Vendors interested in selling value-added products would have to obtain a permit from the county Office of Economic Development, which regulates the markets, to become a qualified vendor to utilize the Kaua‘i Made logomark.
Value-added products must be prepared in a certified kitchen, specified by the Department of Health.
Kawakami said the bill also requires vendors to maintain an inventory of products that are going to be offered for sale, and allows the OED to conduct inspections.
The council scheduled a public hearing on March 2, and referred the bill to the Economic Development Committee.
Go to www.kauai.gov for more information.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
