Aloha Harvest

What Aloha Harvest does

Aloha Harvest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food rescue organization founded in 1999 under the Haumana Mau Loa Foundation and headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Modeled on City Harvest in New York, the organization collects surplus food from 468 donor companies across grocery, restaurant, farming, hospitality, and distribution channels on O'ahu and delivers it same-day, free of charge, to 146 social service agencies serving food-insecure communities. In 2024 it redistributed more than 3 million pounds of food — averaging roughly 6,171 lbs per day — and has cumulatively redirected more than 43 million pounds since inception, generating an estimated $179M+ in economic impact.

Operationally, Aloha Harvest runs a daily refrigerated truck fleet staffed by 6 drivers, supported by 8 administrative staff (14 total), and uses Tableau for operational dashboards. It has no public API and integrates with donors and recipient agencies through web forms, email, and phone. Programs include the Community Harvest gleaning initiative (in partnership with Farm Link Hawaii), the Harvesting Aloha Cohort philanthropy education program, Fuel the Rescue Gala, Food Collection Drives, and Donate A Produce Box. The organization holds Good Samaritan Act protections at federal and Hawaii state level, is an Aloha United Way Partner Agency, and maintains partnerships with 7-Eleven Hawaii, Kokua in Kind, Chef Hui, and First Hawaiian Bank. Leadership includes Executive Director Mele Pepa Latu and Board Chair Michael Tottori.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: capital needs (e.g., a new refrigerated truck) are met through galas and corporate sponsorships, with a 7-Eleven Hawaii point-of-sale donation channel providing recurring retail-driven contributions. The model has no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary technology layer, and operations are presently restricted to a single Hawaiian island (O'ahu).

Name

Aloha Harvest

Legal name

Aloha Harvest

Website

https://alohaharvest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aloha Harvest is a Honolulu-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has rescued and redistributed more than 43 million pounds of surplus food on O'ahu since 1999, collecting from 468 donor companies and delivering same-day to 146 social service agencies via a refrigerated truck fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue and Redistribution Services

akta.pro primary industry

Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Food redistribution logistics
• Nonprofit food services
• Surplus food collection
• Community hunger relief

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: Individual and corporate donations received through online portal and check payments. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations are tax-deductible. Based on 2020 operations and budget, for every $1 donated, Aloha Harvest rescues and redistributes 1.7 lbs of food.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships providing financial support in exchange for brand alignment with community impact and sustainability goals
3. Vehicle Donations: Partnership with Kokua in Kind, LLC for vehicle donations where donors can designate Aloha Harvest as charity of choice
4. Private Group Volunteer Days: Donation-based private group volunteer days with suggested contribution of $100 per person or minimum $500 per group

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aloha Harvest operates a daily, same-day food rescue and redistribution service on O'ahu. Drivers in refrigerated trucks pick up surplus quality food from wholesale distributors, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and farms seven days a week and deliver it free of charge to social service agencies feeding food-insecure community members. The organization does not warehouse food long-term and provides both donors and recipients with full liability protection under Hawai'i and federal Good Samaritan statutes.

Product overview

Aloha Harvest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food rescue organization that operates as a single, service-oriented program rather than a platform with multiple modules. The core offering is a food rescue and redistribution service that picks up quality excess food from donors (wholesale distributors, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, farms) 7 days a week and delivers it same-day, free of charge, to social service agencies on O'ahu. Supporting programs include Community Harvest (gleaning produce from yards/farms), the Harvesting Aloha Cohort (philanthropy education program), Food Collection Drives (community food drives), and the Donate A Produce Box program (partnership with Farm Link Hawaii). The organization does not store food long-term and does not operate a warehouse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Harvesting Aloha Cohort: A group of individuals who study food waste and insecurity issues and take action to increase awareness and funding for Aloha Harvest. The first cohort launched with 13 members raising funds over 5 months.

Products and services

• Food Rescue & Redistribution Service Core daily service that picks up quality excess food from wholesale distributors, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and farms on O'ahu and delivers it same-day, free of charge, to social service agencies feeding food-insecure community members. Operates seven days a week using refrigerated trucks with drivers trained under Hawai'i Department of Health food safety protocols.
• Community Harvest Gleaning program in which supervised volunteers harvest excess produce from residential yards, gardens, and farms for redistribution to community organizations. Open to community members and property owners on O'ahu with surplus fruit trees or garden produce.
• Food Collection Drives Program enabling individuals, community groups, or companies to host food collection drives with free pickup by Aloha Harvest for distribution to community partners on O'ahu.
• Donate A Produce Box Produce box donation program operated in partnership with Farm Link Hawaii, where purchasers can buy a box of local produce for themselves or donate a $30 box to support families in need and the local farmers who grew the produce.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43+ million pounds of food rescued since 1999
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farm Link HawaiʻicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm Link Hawaiʻi supports local farmers and consumers by providing access to locally produced food. Excess produce from their operations is donated to Aloha Harvest for redistribution. They also partner on the Donate A Produce Box program.
• 7-Eleven HawaiʻicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPoint-of-sale donation partnership where customers can donate spare change at checkout at any Hawaiʻi 7-Eleven location from July-September to support Aloha Harvest's mission.
• Mad PieminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal restaurant partner that donates surplus food to Aloha Harvest for redistribution to nearby shelters and organizations.
• Chef HuicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary initiative keeping chefs employed during COVID-19 pandemic while supporting food rescue and distribution efforts. Helped coordinate food donations and volunteer efforts.
• Aloha United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAloha United Way Partner Agency (Partner Agency ID: 79610), providing visibility and support through the United Way network.
• Kokua in Kind, LLCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation program partner accepting cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, and boats where donors can designate Aloha Harvest as their charity of choice.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Philabundance: Philadelphia-region food bank serving the Delaware Valley with food distribution to pantries, shelters, and direct-service programs. Larger, more established food bank that also conducts food rescue as part of a broader hunger-relief mission.
• Capital Area Food Bank: Washington D.C. metro region food bank distributing millions of pounds annually through partner pantries and direct distribution. Comparable mission but operates with warehouse infrastructure and Feeding America affiliation at larger scale than Aloha Harvest.
• Second Harvest of Silicon Valley: One of the largest food banks in the U.S., serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Larger, established food bank with warehouse infrastructure and broader distribution beyond pure rescue — a broader incumbent in the food redistribution space.
• Feeding America: National umbrella organization coordinating a network of 200+ food banks across the U.S., including Hawaii Foodbank. Operates at a vastly larger scale and serves as the dominant institutional infrastructure for hunger relief that food rescue organizations like Aloha Harvest complement.
• LA Regional Food Bank: Major Southern California food bank serving Los Angeles County with a Foodbank of the Year-recognized operation. Established organization with larger scale and broader mission than Aloha Harvest's pure rescue model.

Direct peers

• Food Forward: Southern California-based food rescue organization that recovers surplus produce from wholesale markets, grocery stores, and backyard gleaning for redistribution to communities in need. Closely mirrors Aloha Harvest's combination of commercial donor pickup and community harvest gleaning.
• Boston Area Gleaners: Massachusetts-based gleaning and food rescue organization harvesting surplus farm produce and coordinating with food donors to redirect edible surplus to hunger-relief agencies. Directly comparable to Aloha Harvest's Community Harvest gleaning program.
• Food Finders: Southern California food rescue nonprofit that picks up surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other donors for distribution to pantries and shelters. Same operational model: free pickup from donors, same-day delivery to recipient agencies.
• City Harvest: New York City's largest food rescue organization, founded in 1982. Aloha Harvest was explicitly modeled on City Harvest's food recovery system in 1999. Both operate same-day pickup and delivery models linking commercial food donors to social service agencies.
• Hawaii Foodbank: Hawaii's largest food bank and Feeding America affiliate, distributing food across the state including O'ahu. Directly comparable in mission and geography, but operates warehouse-based distribution rather than same-day rescue, and serves all islands rather than O'ahu only.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AlohaHarvest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/alohaharvesthawaii
• Facebookfacebook.com/alohaharvest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aloha-harvest
• Instagraminstagram.com/alohaharvest

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aloha Harvest