Rewarding Local Food Buyers

Buying and eating locally supports Hawaii farmers and businesses — and now island grocer Foodland wants to give shoppers an extra incentive to keep things in the community with its Eat Local Tuesdays campaign.

The promotion kicked off Jan. 20, and is now in effect at Foodland stores statewide, including Kailua, Kaneohe and Laie. Customers must first take the Eat Local Tuesdays pledge at a checkout counter or online at foodland.com.

Every purchase of local products made on Tuesdays henceforth will earn double Maika‘i points.

Qualifying products are labeled with new, orange “locally grown” or “locally made” signs. Each week, spotlight items will focus on a product and its producer and include a special recipe for that ingredient. There also will be weekly deli and poke specials.

Hawaii high schools also may send students to serve as “Foodland Local Ambassadors,” sharing free samples of local fare with customers.

“Our customers know that buying local food is good for them and our community, and we want to do all we can to support their efforts,” stated Jenai S. Wall, chairman and CEO of Foodland.

For more information, or to sign up for the Eat Local Tuesday email newsletter, visit foodland.com.