Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc.

What Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. does

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. (MNBG) is a private nonprofit organization operating a five-acre botanical garden at 150 Kanaloa Avenue in Kahului, Maui, dedicated to the conservation of native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced plants and the preservation of associated cultural knowledge. The organization maintains a living collection of over 100 documented plant species available for self-guided cell phone audio tours, anchors a volunteer program (Weed & Pot Club), hosts school tours for preschool through college groups, and runs paid cultural workshops such as Native Plant Propagation, Hale Thatch Project, and Imu cooking. Its signature cultural touchpoint is the annual Lā ʻUlu Breadfruit Day festival held each September.

MNBG's underlying technology platform is a conservation seed bank rather than a software system. Specialized horticulture protocols support coastal, low-elevation, and wetland Maui Nui plant cultivation on the garden's remnant consolidated dune substrate. The seed bank holds 501 accessions including 221 endangered species and 103 coastal species, plus approximately 5.5 million ʻōhiʻa seeds across 328 collections, making MNBG the primary public repository for ʻōhiʻa in Maui County and the only facility in Hawaiʻi with explicit emphasis on coastal native plant seed storage. Protocols were developed under the Hawaiʻi Seed Bank Partnership alongside Lyon Arboretum, NTBG, Oʻahu Army Natural Resources Program, and Hawaiʻi Island Seed Bank.

The business model blends mission-driven earned revenue with grant funding. Earned streams include $10 general admission (free for members, keiki under 12, and kamaʻāina with Hawaiʻi ID), weekly local-only plant sales at $4–$25 per unit, $2 per-student school tours, and $25–$50 workshops. Grant and donor support comes from Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (Aloha ʻĀina Program 2015–2020), Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, County of Maui Department of Water Supply, Akaka Foundation, and Maui Ocean Center. MNBG distributes via its single physical garden, direct school outreach, and conservation partnerships with The Nature Conservancy, Maui Coastal Land Trust, Hawaiʻi Agricultural Research Center, and the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project.

Name

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc.

Legal name

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc.

Website

https://mnbg.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a nonprofit operating a five-acre garden in Kahului, Maui that conserves native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced plants, runs the state's only coastal-focused native plant seed bank, and serves local residents, school groups, and tourists through tours, plant sales, workshops, and the annual Lā ʻUlu Breadfruit Festival.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Garden and Native Plant Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries (AFAMADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Native & Pollinator Garden Design/Install (HSAIABAG)

Keywords

• Native plant conservation
• Botanical garden services
• Seed banking services
• Environmental education programs
• Native plant nursery

Headquarters

HQ city

Kahului

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Visitors pay admission fees to access the garden: $10 for general admission, free for members, keiki under 12, and kama'āina (Hawaii residents) with ID.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership provides free admission and supports the organization financially.
3. Plant Sales: Weekly plant sales of native Hawaiian plants including varieties like Ipu ($5), ʻŌhai ($6), Māmaki ($19), and others. Local residents only, no shipping.
4. Educational Programs: School tours at $2 per student; workshops ranging from free to $25-50 for members/non-members.
5. Donations: Simple donation option available through website; charitable legacy donations program for planned giving.
6. Event Revenue: Lā ʻUlu Breadfruit Festival and other events generate revenue through vendor participation and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens conserves Native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced plants through a 5-acre public garden, a native plant seed bank, weekly plant sales, self-guided and school tours, workshops, and cultural events including the annual Lā 'Ulu Breadfruit Festival. The organization functions as a community-focused botanical garden and conservation institution, providing visitor access, education, and seed banking services to residents, visitors, schools, and conservation partners.

Product overview

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. operates as a non-profit botanical garden and conservation organization offering a unified set of visitor programs and services. The core offerings include self-guided and school tours of the five-acre garden, a comprehensive seed bank service for preserving native Hawaiian plant species, weekly plant sales of native Hawaiian plants, educational workshops and cultural events (including the annual Lā ʻUlu Breadfruit Festival), and a volunteer program (Weed & Pot Club). The organization does not operate as a technology platform but provides in-person educational, conservation, and community engagement services centered on Hawaiian plants and cultural heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Guided Audio Tours Self-guided tours of the 5-acre garden using cell phones with QR codes and audio messages for over 100 species, accessible to general visitors during operating hours.
• School Tours Hands-on educational tours for local school groups from preschool through college, exploring native Hawaiian plants, traditional Hawaiian uses, and conservation efforts, priced at $2 per student with a maximum 2-hour format Tuesday-Friday from 9am-3pm.
• Seed Bank Services Long-term seed storage and conservation services for coastal, low elevation, and wetland Maui Nui plants, including 501 seed accessions covering 221 endangered species and 103 coastal species, plus the primary public repository for 328 'Ōhi'a collections with approximately 5.5 million seeds in Maui County.
• Weekly Plant Sales Weekly on-site sales of native Hawaiian plants including species such as Ipu ($5), 'Ōhai ($6), Māmaki, Koki'o, and 'Ala 'ala wai nui, available in 3-inch, 4-inch, 6-inch, and 1-gallon pots ranging from $4 to $25, for local residents only with no shipping.
• Workshops and Classes Educational workshops including Native Plant Propagation ($25 members / $50 non-members), Hale Thatch Project, and the Imu Workshop (free for Hawaii residents, sponsored by Lo'iloa), plus other cultural and horticultural classes offered throughout the year.
• Lā 'Ulu Breadfruit Festival Annual festival celebrating breadfruit ('ulu) with presentations, food vendors, craft vendors, entertainment, and cultural activities held at the gardens.
• Weed & Pot Club Volunteer Program Weekly volunteer gardening group meeting every Wednesday from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM for weeding and propagation activities supporting the garden's conservation work.
• Membership Program Annual membership program offering free admission to the botanical gardens for members, with additional options for charitable legacy donations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 501 seed accessions stored including 221 endangered species
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pūlama LānaʻicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2022Collaboration with Pūlama Lānaʻi staff Kari Bogner and Jon Sprague for 'Ōhi'a seed collecting expedition to Lāna'i in August 2022. Joint fieldwork included training workshops for community members on seed collection techniques and conservation protocols.
• Maui Coastal Land Trust (MCLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create native plant seed bank for Waihe'e Dunes restoration as native seabird nesting habitat. MNBG consulted with MCLT to identify target species for restoration, focusing on kāwelu (native coastal grass) for out-planting.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partnership including seed collection expeditions to TNC-protected areas like Kānepu'u on Lāna'i. Collaboration on native plant seed banking and restoration efforts across Maui Nui.
• Lyon ArboretumcoreTechnology or IntegrationFounding partner of Hawaii Seed Bank Partnership. Lyon Arboretum provided training in seed storage techniques to MNBG staff including Plant Collections Manager Chris d'Avella. Seed collection and processing protocols follow Lyon Arboretum standards.
• National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG)coreTechnology or IntegrationFounding partner of Hawaii Seed Bank Partnership. NTBG staff (Margaret Clark) provided technical expertise for seed banking initiatives. Houses the largest and most extensive collection of breadfruit varieties worldwide.
• O'ahu Army Natural Resources ProgramcoreTechnology or IntegrationFounding partner of Hawaii Seed Bank Partnership. Collaboration on statewide seed banking standards and conservation protocols.
• Hawai'i Seed Bank PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership including Lyon Arboretum, NTBG, O'ahu Army Natural Resources, Hawai'i Island Seed Bank, National Center for Germplasm Resources Protection (Colorado), and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Millennium Seed Bank (UK). MNBG is the only facility with emphasis on coastal native plant seed storage.
• Hawai'i Agricultural Research Center (HARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death (ROD) Resistance Project. HARC develops screening protocols for 'ōhi'a seedlings for disease resistance and sends selected seed samples for testing. MNBG serves as primary seed repository for Maui County.
• Dr. Kasey Barton (UH-Mānoa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on SeaGrant-funded research investigating salinity tolerance of coastal dune plants. Research aims to identify species for restoration and assisted migration as sea levels rise.
• Kupu (MALU Initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in MALU initiative to expand tree canopies around Hawai'i. MNBG contributes plant information to support native and canoe plant cultivation efforts.
• Maui Nui Seabird Recovery ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeeds collected along Maui's North Shore withdrawn from MNBG seed bank and grown for restoration plantings in protected seabird nesting area near Ho'okipa.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kahanu Garden: NTBG-managed garden in Hana, Maui focused on Pacific Island breadfruit varieties and Polynesian-introduced plants. MNBG's Lā ʻUlu Breadfruit Festival and breadfruit collection closely mirror Kahanu's breadfruit specialization within the same Maui Nui cultural-botany space.
• Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: California-based botanic garden specializing in California native plants, conservation horticulture, and seed banking. Closest U.S. mainland analogue to MNBG in combining a public native-plant garden with an active native species seed bank and conservation-research mandate.
• National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG): Federally-supported tropical botanical garden operating multiple sites in Hawaii (McBryde, Allerton, Limahuli, Kahanu). NTBG is a founding partner in the Hawaii Seed Bank Partnership with MNBG and shares the dual mission of plant conservation and cultural preservation across tropical ecosystems.
• Limahuli Garden and Preserve: NTBG-managed Kauaʻi garden combining native Hawaiian plant conservation with ahupuaʻa-based cultural land management. Comparable to MNBG in combining living plant collection, cultural interpretation, native species propagation, and conservation partnerships.
• Waimea Valley: Oʻahu-based cultural botanical garden and ahupuaʻa preserve offering self-guided walks, cultural programming, and native plant education. Highly comparable visitor-experience model to MNBG with combined conservation, cultural practice, and paid-admission public garden operations.
• San Diego Botanic Garden: Regional botanic garden with strong native plant, drought-tolerant landscaping, and conservation programs. Comparable public-garden-plus-conservation-nursery model with active education programming and plant sales.
• Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: Visitor-facing tropical botanical garden on the Big Island combining tropical plant collection, paid admissions, and educational programming. Comparable paid-admission public garden model with tropical plant curation, though focused on ornamental rather than native-conservation mission.
• Lyon Arboretum: University of Hawaiʻi–managed arboretum on Oʻahu focused on tropical plant conservation and seed banking. Co-founding partner of the Hawaii Seed Bank Partnership alongside MNBG and NTBG, with overlapping native Hawaiian plant curation and community education missions.
• Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden: Big Island Hawaiian ethnobotanical garden maintained by Hawaiʻi DLNR with a mission centered on Native Hawaiian plant species, traditional uses, and cultural interpretation — directly parallel to MNBG's Hawaiian/Polynesian-introduced plant focus and educational programming.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi: Global conservation NGO with active Hawaiʻi operations including seed collection at Kānepuʻu preserve on Lānaʻi alongside MNBG. Much larger organization but directly overlapping in coastal native plant restoration, seed sourcing, and protected-area stewardship across Maui Nui.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mauinuibg
• Instagraminstagram.com/mauinuibg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maui-nui-botanical-gardens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc.