Grocery Shopping in Maui: Best Stores and Tips

The First-Day Strategy

On your way from the airport (OGG), stop at Costco or Safeway in Kahului before heading to your accommodation. You are already driving through Kahului; adding 15 to 20 minutes to stock up at arrival saves a separate trip later and means your first morning starts with food in the kitchen rather than a restaurant run. The Costco on Dairy Road is the highest-value grocery stop on the island -- the rotisserie chickens, bulk produce, snacks, and beverages are significantly cheaper per unit than any other option.

Costco (Kahului)

Best for: bulk staples, protein, beverages, snacks, sunscreen.
Drive from Kihei: 20 to 25 minutes.
Membership required: yes.

Costco is worth the drive for a stay of four or more nights with a full kitchen. The savings on sunscreen alone (a Costco 3-pack of reef-safe SPF 50 costs about the same as a single bottle at a resort shop) justify the membership fee for most trips. The fresh produce section stocks Maui-grown items including Maui Gold pineapple, local avocados, and occasionally locally grown coffee. Rotisserie chicken is excellent and cheap. Alcohol is significantly cheaper here than anywhere else on the island.

Safeway (Kahului and Kihei)

Best for: regular grocery run, brand-name items, pharmacy, convenience.
Drive from Kihei Safeway: 5 to 8 minutes.

The Safeway in Kihei on South Kihei Road is the most convenient large grocery option for Kihei-based stays. Standard mainland grocery pricing plus the Hawaii premium -- expect to pay noticeably more than you do at home. The produce section includes some local items. The deli and prepared foods section is useful for quick meals without cooking. The bakery section has decent fresh bread. Check the weekly ad for sales on proteins, which tend to be the highest-cost items.

Foodland (Multiple Locations)

Best for: local products, poke, produce, casual grocery shopping.
Drive from South Kihei: 8 to 12 minutes to the Kihei Foodland.

Foodland is the Hawaii-based chain and the best place for genuinely local products. The poke counter at Foodland is outstanding -- fresh ahi tuna poke, limu (seaweed) poke, spicy salmon, shoyu poke, and seasonal variations that rotate. The selection and freshness are typically better than mainland grocery store sushi counters by a wide margin. Foodland also stocks local specialty items that Safeway may not carry: Hawaiian salt, local honey, kalo-based products, and fresh poi from local producers when available.

Whole Foods (Kahului)

Best for: organic, specialty items, prepared foods, snacks.
Drive from Kihei: 20 to 25 minutes.

Whole Foods in Kahului carries a wider organic and specialty selection than the other options. The prepared food bar is useful for grab-and-go meals. Prices are at the high end of Maui's already-elevated grocery pricing, but the quality and selection are there if you need specific items. Good for the once-per-stay specialty run rather than the daily grocery shop.

The Maui Farmers Markets

Best for: local produce, fresh fruit, prepared foods, cultural experience.

Several farmers markets operate in rotation across Maui. Key ones for Kihei-based guests:

• Upcountry Farmers Market (Kula): Saturday mornings. The best selection of Maui-grown produce, including items unavailable at any grocery store. Worth the drive for a Saturday stay.
• Maui Swap Meet (Kahului, at UH Maui College): Saturday mornings. Largest market on the island, mix of produce, local food, and goods. Best selection of fresh tropical fruit at non-resort prices.
• Kihei Farmers Market: Check current schedule -- the Kihei market's days and location shift occasionally. A quick search for current info before your trip is useful.

What to Buy Local

• Maui Gold pineapple: The sweetest pineapple variety grown in Hawaii. Different from mainland pineapple in flavor. Buy from farmers markets or Costco.
• Ahi poke: From Foodland's poke counter or the fish shops in Kihei. Far superior to anything imported.
• Maui onions: A sweet onion variety with lower sulfur content. Distinctly different from mainland onions in raw dishes.
• Local avocados: When in season (typically fall and winter), locally grown avocados from farmers markets are better than anything shipped. Larger, richer, and cheaper per pound than imported.
• Lilikoi (passion fruit): From farmers markets. Excellent in dressings, drinks, and desserts.

What to Skip Buying Here

Wine, spirits, and packaged goods that do not travel differently from the mainland are significantly more expensive in Hawaii. If you drink wine regularly, either bring a bottle or two in checked luggage (well-padded -- TSA allows it) or buy from Costco on island. Resort and hotel gift shops are not grocery stores -- their "food and beverage" sections are convenience pricing, not grocery pricing. Never buy sunscreen at a resort shop; buy it at Costco or bring from home.