Foodland Super Market Ltd. will open a store in Kapolei on Oct. 17, adding a second major supermarket to the growing region in West Oahu.

The 36,320-square-foot store at 4850 Kapolei Parkway is the anchor for Foodland’s 55,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping complex, Kapolei Village Center, which will house as many as 19 tenants. It’s the first major development for Hawaii’s largest locally owned and operated grocery retailer in more than a decade. Foodland’s most recent development was a shopping center in Ewa Beach in 1999.

The grocery chain will have its first kim chee bar and offer produce from Ma‘o Farms and other local growers, adding to its seafood, meat, deli, bakery and floral departments, as well as an R. Fields Wine and Specialty Store and pharmacy opening in early 2013. Foodland’s coffee shop, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, will share adjoining indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Foodland Kapolei will be the only Oahu supermarket to offer locally grown Molokai beef. The company has an exclusive agreement to sell the grass-fed beef outside of Molokai. The store also will sell prepared foods, gourmet and made-to-order specialty items.

"After many months of preparation and planning, we are excited to finally be opening Foodland Kapolei," Jenai Wall, Foodland chairwoman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "As a locally-owned company, we truly care about the communities we serve, and know that we will be a great community partner in Kapolei. Many of our customers have told us they want and need a locally-owned supermarket in Kapolei, and we are excited to open this brand new store to serve them."

Kapolei has only one major supermarket, Safeway, and a Costco.

Kapolei Village Center at the intersection of Kapolei Parkway and Wakea Street will consist of six buildings constructed in phases and to be completed by 2014, said Mark Bratton, broker for Colliers International, which is developing the complex with Foodland. Colliers is also a partner in Kapolei Shops. Bratton didn’t disclose the costs of the Foodland complex.

Other retailers opening in November include Domino’s Pizza, Daiichi Ramen & Curry, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Cosmic Beauty, a salon and beauty products store.

"This is a whole new area, the roads just opened two months ago. This is the first of literally millions of square feet (to be developed)," Bratton said. "The second city is going to grow up right around this shopping center. Residents are real excited. They’ve been asking for this for over five years."

Grand opening events are planned during Foodland’s first week in business. The store will provide product samplings, prize giveaways, costumed character visits, food and wine tastings and cooking demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the grocery chain will begin construction in a few months on Foodland Kehalani in Wailuku on Maui. That 35,000-square-foot store, which includes an American Savings Bank and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, will open in fall 2013.

Foodland Kapolei will be open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The kamaaina company, established in 1948 by the late Maurice J. "Sully" Sullivan, employs more than 2,500 people at 32 Foodland, Sack N Save and Foodland Farms stores on four islands.