State of the Industry: 2026 Hawaii Food Industry Report

This report is part of a new initiative we have launched called State of the Industry, a research program designed to analyze primary data and feedback from operating businesses across key economic sectors. The objective of the program is to move beyond anecdotal insights and provide decision makers with a clear, evidence-based view of how industries actually function, where constraints emerge, and how structural conditions shape performance.

The 2026 Hawaii Food Industry Report analyzes survey data collected from 135 local food producers and food manufacturers operating across the State of Hawaii. The research examines operational structure, cost components, supply chain reliability, infrastructure capacity, market access, workforce constraints, and technology adoption. Rather than focusing solely on growth outcomes, the analysis evaluates the underlying systems that determine whether growth is sustainable, resilient, and economically viable.

Taken together, the findings present a grounded assessment of the current operating environment for Hawaii’s food sector, identify the binding constraints that limit scale and stability, and establish a baseline for future comparison as policy, infrastructure, and industry capabilities evolve.