our mission & history
The mission of Hawai'i Forest Farms is understanding, demonstrating and communicating the social, economic and spiritual values of regenerative forest farming, with a focus on Hawaiian native plants, in particular mamaki. Hawai'i Forest Farms seeks to develop the nutritional, medicinal, culinary and commercial benefits of mamaki and other Hawaiian plants that contribute to the local economy and community, while respecting the history and culture of Hawaii. Hawai'i Forest Farms was founded as Shaka Forest Farms in 2017 as a supplier to Shaka Tea by entrepreneurs, beverage experts, eco-investors, and agroforestry & sustainability experts. It became Hawai'i Forest Farms in 2020 with a formal separation from the Shaka brand, owned by King's Hawaiian as of 2022. Though HFF remains an anchor supply partner for Shaka Tea, we sell to multiple retail clients who distribute mamaki, and we strive to be at the forefront of agroforestry experimentation, research and education for the cultivation, processing, product development and nutritional & medicinal value of māmaki. Our guided tours have been running since 2019 with multiple partners supporting the tourism and educational benefits of the 30-acre Volcano site, including local schools. Hawaiʻi Forest Farms location near Volcano Village is the world's first restorative rainforest farm in Hawaiʻi focused on growing māmaki. Visitors are welcome any week day for guided tours from 9am to 3pm by appointment.
Hawaiʻi Forest Farms publicly opened its doors in 2019 after two years of intensive work removing invasive understory plants and replanting the rich, native Hawaiian rainforest with māmaki underneath old-growth koa, ʻōhiʻa trees, and hāpu'u ferns.
Hawaiʻi Forest Farms is working to preserve and restore critical native ecosystem habitat, share a vision for a sustainable way to grow māmaki as well as other understory crops, and serve as a community resource and learning center for kamaʻāina and visitors alike.