DA BUX: 50% Off Local Produce for Hawaiʻi SNAP Shoppers

We’re thrilled to share the news that DA BUX discounts on Hawaiʻi food have been extended until August 31, 2025!

DA BUX and SNAP-EBT cardholders can get 50% off our products at Farm Link, KTA Super Stores, Times Super Markets, Waianae Store, Nanakuli Super, Shima’s Super Market, select Foodlands, select Mālama Markets, and other grocers listed below.

Use our product locator to find your nearest participating retailer. All participating stores are identified as “DABUX Retailer” beneath the store’s phone number.

DA BUX (Double Up Food Bucks) is a statewide nutrition incentive program that partners with grocery stores and food hubs to offer 50% discounts on Hawai'i-grown fruits and vegetables to low-income shoppers paying with federal food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

Hawaiʻi has the highest cost of living in the United States at 82% above average, and the price of groceries keeps rising. It also has the second-highest food costs, with Alaska taking first by 2%.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a crucial defense against hunger in our communities, and the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Co-op is proud to support Hawaiʻi families by accepting SNAP-EBT for all our food products and offering DA BUX discounts for our minimally processed, Hawaiʻi-grown and -made products. Allowing more of Hawaiʻi's citizens to access healthy, nutritious food directly supports local farmers, the economy, and our community.

The DA BUX program is currently awaiting federal fund approval to further extend the program to August 31, 2027.

The program is 100% dependent on grant funding and philanthropy. If you’re interested in donating, please visit dabux.org/donate.

Legislative Advocacy and Educational Resources

Hawaiʻi's 2024 state legislative session approved Senate Bill 2421 in February, which took effect on July 1, 2024. It has distributed funds to the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture to continue implementing the Hawaiʻi Healthy Food Incentive Program and provide funds to those participating in SNAP.

“Every community should have access to fresh and healthy dietary options, but the high cost of fresh produce often makes that difficult,” the bill states, adding that participants in the SNAP feel this challenge most acutely.

Garnering public support and communicating with your representatives is crucial for the government to recognize the necessity of programs like DA BUX. During the 2023 legislative session, Senate Bill 1259 and House Bill 1248 were introduced and outlined the same goals as the current Senate Bill 2421. However, both bills died in the Senate and House. Outstanding civic engagement and testimony allowed the 2024 bill to be enacted.

Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative & Da Bux

The Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative’s mission aligns with DA BUX's goal of increasing access to locally grown nutritious food. We focus on traditional Hawaiian staple crops like ʻulu to improve local food security, contribute to Hawai'i's agricultural economy, and foster community resilience.

As part of our COVID-19 Relief and Response Campaign, we distributed over 60,000 pounds of ʻulu and other staples to families in need through community partnerships. We must begin to create more reliance on our local food system and reintroduce traditional food that has sustained generations in Hawaiʻi.

Programs like DA BUX are instrumental in addressing food insecurity, promoting healthier food choices, supporting local farmers, and fostering a more sustainable food system in Hawaiʻi. Resources are also available on our Breadfruit Blog regarding ʻulu’s role in transforming Hawaiʻi’s food systems.