This Farmer-Led Co-op is Growing a Sustainable ‘Ulu Industry for Hawai‘i’s Small Farmers

Hawai‘i Island farmer Tom Menezes has been growing ‘ulu, or breadfruit, on and off since the 1980s, but didn’t have a consistent market to sell his harvest to until recently.

Despite being an important staple crop in Hawai‘i’s history, ‘ulu hasn’t been a widely eaten, mainstream food. Menezes would get calls from individual buyers here and there, but since ‘ulu quickly ripens within three to five days post-harvest, it was difficult to sell everything.

That changed after he joined the Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative in 2018. The organization buys ‘ulu from its nearly 200 member farms on four islands; processes it into steamed and frozen quarters, flour, hummus and other products; and handles all the sales and marketing. The co-op also processes kalo, ‘uala and pala‘ai (kabocha pumpkin).

Read the full story here.