What Hawaii Food Industry Association does

Hawaii Food Industry Association (HFIA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1972 and headquartered at 1050 Bishop Street, PMB 235, Honolulu, Hawaii. It serves as the unified trade body for Hawaii's food and beverage industry, representing over 200 member companies that include retailers (Foodland, Safeway, KTA Super Stores, Times Supermarkets, 7-Eleven Hawaii, ABC Stores), manufacturers and suppliers (Dole, Meadow Gold Dairies, Coca-Cola Bottling of Hawaii / Odom, Pepsi, Mahi Pono, Pint Size Hawaii, Honolulu Freight Service), wholesale distributors (C&S Wholesale Grocers, Armstrong Produce), and associate service providers. Its stated mission is to improve conditions in Hawaii's food and beverage industry through advocacy, networking, education, and community relations.

HFIA's product set bundles advocacy services, member benefits, and signature events. Core offerings include legislative advocacy (HFIA monitors over 2,000 pieces of Hawaii state legislation annually affecting transportation, employment, food processing, alcohol, and tobacco regulation), the Hawaii Food Industry Magazine (a quarterly trade publication, formerly Hawaii Retail Grocer, with advertising inventory), the Made in Hawaii Festival (a 3-day public festival at the Hawaii Convention Center where products must be at least 51% value-added in Hawaii per state law; the 2025 edition hosted ~70,000 visitors, ~550 vendors, and 750+ booths), the Annual Convention and Golf Tournament, the Weekly Update E-Newsletter, and a members-only MemberPlus mobile application for event registration and advocacy updates.

HFIA operates a tiered membership revenue model with annual billing: Retailer dues are per location and scaled by store size ($150/year for convenience stores under 10,000 sq ft; up to $450/year for big-box stores over 75,000 sq ft), Supplier dues range from $500–$1,653.75 annually based on employee headcount (0–10 to 101+), and Associate dues are structured separately. Complementary revenue streams include event sponsorships, magazine advertising, and referral income from an exclusive partnership with Hawaiian Mutual Administration (HMAA) which offers HFIA members up to 15% savings on group PPO health insurance, with HMAA subsidizing up to $480/year toward HFIA dues. Distribution is direct via membership application, events, and the magazine; geographic scope is exclusively Hawaii. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member companies, led by Chair Kit Okimoto, Vice Chair Jayson Watts, Secretary/Treasurer Jill Tamura, and President & Executive Director Lauren Zirbel (in role since 2012).

Name

Hawaii Food Industry Association

Legal name

Hawaii Food Industry Association

Website

https://hawaiifood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hawaii Food Industry Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1972, representing over 200 food retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers in Hawaii through advocacy, networking events, the Made in Hawaii Festival, and the Hawaii Food Industry Magazine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Retailer, Supplier, and Associate members calculated on a sliding fee scale based on company size and number of retail locations.
2. Event Sponsorships: Revenue from sponsorship opportunities at HFIA events including the Annual Convention, Golf Tournament, and Made in Hawaii Festival.
3. Magazine Advertising: Advertising revenue from the Hawaii Food Industry Magazine (formerly Hawaii Retail Grocer), the only comprehensive magazine for Hawaii's retail food and beverage industry, distributed quarterly to members and industry professionals.
4. Association Health Plan Referral: Partnership with HMAA for exclusive PPO health insurance plans for members. HMAA subsidizes a portion of HFIA membership dues as part of the arrangement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Hawaii Food Industry Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that serves Hawaii's food and beverage industry through tiered membership programs for retailers, suppliers, and associate members. It delivers industry advocacy and government affairs representation, networking and education, the Hawaii Food & Beverage Magazine, the Made in Hawaii Festival, and member resources including the MemberPlus app and HFIA Member Pulse newsletter.

Product overview

The Hawaii Food Industry Association (HFIA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association established in 1972 serving as the premier organization for Hawaii's food and beverage industry. HFIA provides a bundled offering of advocacy, networking, education, and membership services. Core offerings include: the HFIA App (members-only mobile app for event registration and advocacy updates), Hawaii Retail Grocer Magazine (official quarterly publication), the Made in Hawaii Festival (annual 3-day event), Weekly Update E-Newsletter, various membership tiers (Retailer, Supplier, Associate), HFIA-HMAA Exclusive PPO Health Plan, and Legislative Advocacy Services. The organization represents over 200 member companies including retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and brokers across Hawaii's food industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Made in Hawaii Festival: A 3-day festival at the Hawaii Convention Center showcasing products made in Hawaii, featuring nearly 450 local vendors with food, crafts, art, jewelry, clothing and more.

Products and services

• HFIA Membership Program
• Made in Hawaii Festival
• Hawaii Food & Beverage Magazine
• Government Advocacy and Regulatory Representation
• MemberPlus Mobile App
• HFIA Member Pulse Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000+ annual attendees to the Made in Hawaii Festival
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hawaii FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Hawaii Foodbank serves as the lead for the O'ahu Feeding Task Force (FTF), a Honolulu Department of Emergency Management initiative collaborating with HFIA, nonprofits, and private sector partners to streamline emergency food distribution during disasters. HFIA participates in coordinated public-private disaster response efforts.
• O'ahu Feeding Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025O'ahu Feeding Task Force (FTF) is a Honolulu Department of Emergency Management initiative formed in 2025. HFIA is a key private sector partner in this network that includes Aloha United Way, nonprofits, shelters, businesses, and community distribution hubs for emergency food response during disasters.
• Farm Link HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Farm Link Hawaii partnered with Meadow Gold to make Island Fresh local milk available to Oahu consumers through Farm Link's online marketplace and brick-and-mortar shop Hōʻiliʻili Market, supporting local dairy industry and food security goals.
• HMAA (Hawaiian Mutual Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership offering HMAA's PPO medical plans to HFIA members with potential savings up to 15% on group health insurance. HMAA subsidizes a portion of HFIA membership dues (up to $480/year). Plans include comprehensive medical coverage with chiropractic, naturopathic, acupuncture, massage therapy, dental, orthodontia, prescription, vision, and life insurance.
• Hawaiian AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHawaiian Airlines provides HFIA members with a 5% discount on Coach flights as a member benefit.
• JPG HawaiiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJPG Hawaii offers HFIA members a 10% discount on trade show displays plus free shipping as an exclusive member benefit.
• Leeward Community College Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWVAPDC houses Hawaii's only commercial-scale High Pressure Processing (HPP) machine, supporting local food manufacturing and product development. HFIA collaborates with WVAPDC to advance food industry innovation and support entrepreneurs.
• Hawaii Foodservice AllianceminorOthersPrivate sector partner supporting the O'ahu Feeding Task Force during Kona Low storm disaster response, providing emergency food supplies to impacted communities.
• C&S Wholesale GrocersminorOthersMajor wholesale distributor partner in O'ahu Feeding Task Force emergency food distribution during disaster response.
• Armstrong ProduceminorOthersProduce supplier partner supporting O'ahu Feeding Task Force emergency food distribution during disaster response.
• Tamura EnterprisesminorOthersFood industry member partner supporting O'ahu Feeding Task Force emergency food distribution during disaster response.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Food Industry Association (FMI): National trade association for food retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers in the US. Directly comparable to HFIA as a food industry trade association providing advocacy, education, and events, but operating at a national rather than state level.
• National Grocers Association (NGA): US trade association representing independent grocers and supermarket operators. Directly comparable to HFIA's retailer membership base and advocacy model, with similar focus on legislative monitoring and member networking.
• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): Trade association for the US convenience and fuel retailing industry. Directly comparable because HFIA represents 7-Eleven Hawaii and ABC Stores as members, and NACS offers the same advocacy, research, and event services at national scale.
• Consumer Brands Association: Trade association for consumer packaged goods manufacturers (formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association). Directly comparable to HFIA as a food/beverage manufacturer trade association providing advocacy and member services, with members like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and ConAgra overlapping HFIA's supplier roster.

Others

• National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA): Trade association for frozen and refrigerated food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Adjacent to HFIA's membership through members like Meadow Gold Dairies, with comparable event-driven engagement (e.g., NFRA Frozen Food Month).
• National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW): Trade association representing the wholesale distribution industry nationally. Thematically adjacent to HFIA's work with distribution members like C&S Wholesale and Honolulu Freight Service, and provides similar advocacy infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Specialty Food Association (SFA): Trade association for the specialty food industry, including small manufacturers and makers. Comparable to HFIA's role representing SMB food manufacturers (e.g., Aloha Shoyu, Mochi Foods, Pint Size Hawaii) and producing a major trade event (Fancy Food Show) analogous to the Made in Hawaii Festival.

Regional players

• California Grocers Association: State-level grocery trade association serving California's food retail industry. Highly comparable business model to HFIA (state association, dues, advocacy, events, conventions) but serving a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: Largest US foodservice trade association. Comparable to HFIA in advocacy, events (e.g., NRA Show), and member services, but focused on restaurant operators rather than retailers and operates at national scale.
• International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA): Trade association for foodservice distribution companies. Comparable to HFIA's distribution member base (e.g., C&S Wholesale, Armstrong Produce) and offers similar advocacy and educational services, with broader geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hawaiifoodassn
• Facebookfacebook.com/hawaiifoodindustryassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hawaii-food-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Hawaii Food Industry Association