Tech View: Kokua Country Foods overcoming adversity

This year Kokua Country Foods Cooperative in Moiliili is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This is very much heartfelt for Clifford Chang, president of the organization’s board of directors and longtime Kokua member-owner, and the other 4,000 member-­owners. (Full disclosure: That includes yours truly.)

It’s always been a challenge, even in the best of economic times, for this natural food co-op, which has faced stiff competition from Whole Foods, Down to Earth and Costco. “The COVID-19 era has really affected Kokua quite a bit,” said Chang, retired executive director of Pacific Islands Primary Care Association.

With diminished sales, a kapakahi supply chain and other challenges, the store has struggled with keeping its operations going.

“However, we are working very hard to turn things around and are hopeful and optimistic about Kokua continuing to serve the community,” he told me.

I recently had a chance sit down with him to discuss Kokua Market’s mission and its significance to the community.

Question: What makes Kokua different from other health food stores?

Answer: Kokua is unique in Honolulu as our only retail food natural foods store that is a cooperative — an alternative way of doing business. As a cooperative, we are run by the member-owners — i.e., anyone who chooses to purchase an owner share in the co-op. When the cooperative generates a surplus, owners benefit directly from this, often in the form of a patronage rebate. Currently at Kokua, we have regularly scheduled owners appreciation weekends, in which owners receive a 15% discount storewide. (See kokua market.com.)

Q: Do I have to be a member to shop there?

A: Everyone is welcome to shop at Kokua, whether you’re a member-owner or not. Ownership is completely optional, with membership­-ownership open to all by purchasing a share for $160.

Q: Why would I want to shop at Kokua versus a larger store such as Whole Foods?

A: We are committed to supporting and sustaining local produce and products which offer the same quality as Whole Foods or similar, high-volume stores. Granted, Kokua is much smaller than Whole Foods, but that allows us to offer locally grown products such as avocados and limes on a small or “backyard” scale that larger markets cannot.

Q: Are Kokua’s prices competitive with Whole Foods?

A: Yes, we are competitive. Kokua strives to provide products priced such that a “market basket” of goods works out to be competitive with other places, such as Whole Foods. Individual product prices will vary — some lower, some higher, but overall, our prices offer good value.

Q: How does sustainability fit into Kokua’s mission? How does Kokua reduce environmental impact?

A: Sustainability — for our local communities to our global community — is one of our fundamental values. We strive to be a business that integrates sustainability, with minimal environment impact in all that we do. This includes the selection of the products we carry — locally grown and produced, organic, minimal­-waste shopping and packaging, and promoting “reduce, reuse and recycle” as much as possible.

Q: Kokua has added a butcher section. Doesn’t that collide with a plant-based diet?

A: Kokua is now able to offer fresh meat as well as dairy and fish products. We do not try to dictate the diet and nutritional choices of our member-owners and customers. Rather, we want to support the dietary diversity of our customer base, with our role to ensure the best quality of what we offer. In this regard, we have partnered with Makana Provisions, a meat and butcher company that features beef and venison that is locally born, wild or pasture-raised, finished and harvested locally.

Q: What would make me want to patronize Kokua?

A: You’re supporting a market with a community­-based mission, vision and values. Kokua is staffed by both people who are paid and those who work as volunteers. They care enough about the community, our store and Kokua’s mission that they donate their time. You’re going to get very caring service. You won’t find that kind of ethos at Whole Foods, Safeway or Walmart.

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Rob Kay, a Honolulu-based writer, covers technology and sustainability for Tech View and is the creator of fijiguide.com. He can be reached at Robertfredkay@gmail.com.