Local economy Impacts
Explore the impact of the DA BUX program on Hawaiʻi's local economy with real stories and insights from food industry leaders on Maui, Oʻahu, and the Big Island.
By Robert Munoz
DA BUX Communications Specialist
Feb 16, 2024
Like many of the organizations across Hawaiʻi, Maui Hub sprung into action to help those impacted by the Maui wildfires.
From donating orders to delivering to displaced families, Maui Hub was able to make an impact. And it offered an avenue for the DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks program to also play a role.
"The few weeks after (the fires), we were able to deliver to (Disaster)-SNAP customers that were able to use the DA BUX program,” said Maui Hub President Autumn Ness. “It was really cool to be able to knock on someone's hotel room door – that is their shelter – and deliver them a big box and they were like ‘Thank you so much. I can't believe in this situation ... I'm able to eat local food instead of sandwiches that are being handed out at the shelters.’"
“Being able to offer a 50% discount on all local fruits and vegetables with DA BUX is really the only way that we can serve a lot of those customers.”
DA BUX helps those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, by offering them a 50% discount on Hawaiʻi-grown fruits and vegetables at one of its 59 partner retailers. Maui Hub is one of seven DA BUX retailers on Maui.
Not only does DA BUX help low-income residents afford more local fruits and vegetables, but it also has a significant impact on the economy. One way is by giving these consumers an opportunity to engage in Hawaiʻi’s food system more than they otherwise would be able to.
Piko Provisions is an excellent example of how DA BUX can play an important role in the expansion of a local business by bridging the gap between business and consumer. The baby food company competes with worldwide brands, and DA BUX helps it stay competitive.
"DA BUX has certainly helped the growth of our organization in a lot of different ways. Some of our strongest stores are out in the communities that need it the most - Waianae and the Waianae Store, Friendly Market over on Molokai,” said Piko Provisions founder and CEO Ethan West. “There’s us on the shelves and there's Gerber. We're kicking the pants off of Gerber. And a lot of that is due in part, if not mostly, to DA BUX.”
“Some of our strongest stores are out in the communities that need it the most... And a lot of that is due in part, if not mostly, to DA BUX.”
There is often a barrier for SNAP participants to receive quality, local food because of the cost. However, the partnerships between DA BUX and local companies like Piko Provisions helps clear that hurdle and ultimately helps increase sales.
“Since partnering with DA BUX, we’ve served over 2,000 SNAP-EBT customers on Oahu,” said Farm Link founder Rob Barecca. “That’s over $800,000 in local produce. Being able to offer a 50% discount on all local fruits and vegetables with DA BUX is really the only way that we can serve a lot of those customers.”
While increasing sales to local food hubs and helping young companies expand their business, DA BUX also has a positive impact on Hawaiʻi’s grocery industry. KTA Super Stores on the Big Island was the first grocer to pilot DA BUX in 2017 and is another business that has seen sales increase because of that partnership.
It further demonstrates the positive impact DA BUX has – and can continue to have – on the local economy.
“Since its start, we’ve seen increases of anywhere from 27-57% in the number of unique customers purchasing local produce,” said KTA IT Operations Manager Conrad Kawabata. “What’s unique about DA BUX is not only does it directly benefit the participants who receive the discounts, but by focusing on local produce it ensures more money stays in our local economy.”
“Since its start, we’ve seen increases of anywhere from 27-57% in the number of unique customers purchasing local produce.”
Learn more about DA BUX
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