At Lanakila Kitchen, we’re committed to making every meal with care. Starting in May, we are proud to announce that vegetables in our tray meals for kupuna and keiki will be 100% sourced locally — an achievement that reflects years of hard work and collaboration with Hawaii’s farmers.
It started with a simple idea: buying local to support our community. During the pandemic, when restaurants closed and farmers needed new outlets for their produce, Lanakila Kitchen stepped in. Today, we work closely with small, family-owned farms, helping them grow and thrive while providing fresh, healthy ingredients to our kupuna and keiki.
“It has to start somewhere,” says Reid Yasunaga, Food Services Director at Lanakila Kitchen. “Working with farmers gives them the support they need to grow their businesses and know their produce will be put to good use. Buying local means strengthening community resilience and helping family farms succeed.”
One of our biggest produce partnerships is with Sumida Farms, which supplies 300 pounds of watercress each week. We also source Swiss chard from Nalo Farms and sweet potatoes from the Big Island. The farmers have shared how grateful they are for a consistent buyer. It means less food waste and more support for local agriculture. Kale, arugula, bok choy, and other greens are staples in our meals, and we’re continuing to build partnerships to include even more local options, like kabocha (pumpkin) and ulu (breadfruit).
Also during the pandemic, Lanakila Meals on Wheels launched The Green Bag, a new subscription-based program that lets program meal recipients have fresh produce delivered right to their door—making healthy eating more accessible. This was one more way to utilize the aggregate purchasing of local fruits and vegetables from Hawaii farms.
Reid is passionate about growing Lanakila Kitchen’s impact even further. “Our goal is to serve more people and provide even stronger job training. We’re focused on preparing individuals with disabilities for community jobs while creating stronger safety nets,” he shares. “Every day is a teaching moment as we work side by side with our community to help them grow and thrive.”
Whether it’s nourishing our kupuna with fresh meals or helping Hawaii farmers build a sustainable future, Lanakila Kitchen is dedicated to making a difference—one local ingredient at a time.