In April of 1999 Hanalei Poi Co., located in Hanalei Town in an old GTE switching station, milled its first batch of poi — 200 pounds of it. It was the first poi milled commercially in the island since 1965. But what is more significant than where it is milled was how it is milled. In a yet-to-be-patented process, Hanalei Poi Co. minimizes the amount of handling of the taro, peeling and cutting the root before cooking. The result is a more sterile process that yields a product without the ever-present bacteria cultures found in traditionally milled poi. Therefore, Hanalei’s poi, which requires refrigeration, will not sour and has a cleaner, even sweet taste. (Fitzgerald reports that one of his customers claimed that the poi stayed fresh in his refrigerator for six months. Fitzgerald doesn’t recommend that you keep his product in the fridge that long, but he does guarantee his poi’s freshness for seven to 10 days.)

From the taro patch to the table, Hanalei Poi makes a great addition to a lu’au or any other Hawaiian style banquet.

55269 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714
(808) 826-4764