Kokua Market Natural Foods

Very small little place but I was looking for raw game meats for my dog because I feed her raw and they had game meats I couldn’t find anywhere else. I looked around and all though it’s not a new place it’s local and I like to support local versus always going to whole foods. Not much parking by a few spots being the store. It’s similar to a whole foods but again local so that’s what’s up

Smaller/​cheaper/​less crowded version of Down To Earth/​Whole Foods. Don’t really grocery shop, just always here for the food… and the variety of body soaps. Lolz. (Oatmeal/​aloe soap is my favorite)
I love how the food gets made in small quantities. Other places are mass produced and probably been sitting out for the whole day. Btw, I’m trying to make it a habit to come here instead of ordering the usual loco moco with gravy all ova from Rainbows DriveIn. :D
Occasionally, I come here on a Sunday evening after work/​beach to enjoy a BBQ vegan burger, live music, and some Kombucha!!! No, not the $ 7 glass bottle. They have bucha on tap in different flavors! $ 3 for a cup.
Secret parking lot in the back of a narrow alley. Or you can settle for meter parking on the main road.

I love stores that are stocked with random jars and bags of things I have never heard of before. Looking for a bag of Banana Flour? Kokua Market’s got it. Need goat for a curry– you betcha! I usually try Kokua Market first for the random specialty items I find listed in recipes. Hands down, the Ricotta cheese at Kokua Market is the best EVER. We make sure to call ahead to see how many Ricotta they have and then speed (kidding, not kidding) over into town to pick it up. If you are making cannoli’s, I mean doesn’t everyone make homemade cannoli’s?, this ricotta is the one to use. I put it on pizza, crackers, or a spoon– whatever! Don’t judge! It’s sooo good. They also stock a freezer full of 100% Hawaii grass fed beef, lamb, and sometimes goat. I’ve also purchased ground bison and elk there as well. Like I said, thing’s you’ve never heard of before. Be adventurous and try Kokua Market– you may just find that you can’t live without banana flour.

I haven’t been here in years. I believe this is the one that was once located on the corner of Beretania and (?). The parking lot is in the back. Don’t miss that right turn into the alley way. It’s nice there’s a traffic light so coming out is not so stressful with the traffic in that area during peak time. I liked the small country store feel. I found the prices of the produce not much different from that of Down To Earth though Kokua has a much larger selection. One of the gentleman stocking the produce was quite helpful. The prepared foods from the deli sure smelled and looked good — I will return to try some. There was some locally made salad dressings which I had never seen anywhere else. I was tempted to get one but decided not to. So what I was really impressed by was the meats in the frozen section. They have a large variety and the prices, I thought, were reasonable for the quality. The grass fed local beef ranged from high $ 5 $ 8 per pound. There was also pheasant and bison. There’s even a frozen section for pet foods. Ok so here is where they lose it… I asked the cashier what was the difference between the Big Island beef and Molokai beef. His response was that one was from Molokai and the other from Big Island. Haha. In a specialty shop like this, the employees should have some basic knowledge of the products they sell, or get an answer from someone there who knows. I will return to try some of the prepared foods.

Great co-​op! They have been around since the 70’s, supporting local and organic before it was cool. Love the outside area in back. We grabbed vegan food to take on the plane and fresh pineapple juice. Awesome!

Friendly staff and a huge selection for such a small co-​op. It’s also good to be a part of a grass roots market like Kokua Market instead of a corporate company like Foodland. I love supporting local. After a bad experience at Foodland Farms I drive twice as far to support Kokua Market.

I am a huge kokua fan. I come here every week for getting local/​organic products. They have affordable organic foods! You can get a bag of organic carrots in about $ 2 that is almost half price of Whole Foods. I’m so glad to find this store in this island.
Also they have Kombucha on tap (I haven’t tried it yet though,) a seating area in back, and cooked healthy dishes to go.

Although I didn’t make any purchase while roaming the Store, I am still giving this Store 5 Stars for EXCELLENT Customer Service.
It was around 10:30am Wednesday morning. I saw this Store after walking out from another Business nearby. Curious and interested of what they have in the Store I decided to take a stroll over and check it out. First thing I notice was how small the Store was but how jam-​packed of products they had displayed everywhere. A mixed aroma of spices, vegetables, organic and natural… it was all here. First thought, «WOW! This is just like Whole Foods and Down To Earth!». I didn’t bother to check the prices because I already knew that anything healthy costs more than everything that’s «bad»!
It wasn’t busy at the moment as employees were either stocking, ringing up customers, helping people find an item/​product, or cleaning. I stopped a young Clerk and asked if they carried Basil Seeds. From the expression he gave me, I instantly knew he didn’t know what I was talking about. Rather than having me follow him around the whole store looking for the one item I asked for he took me over to another employee (Older Woman) and asked himself if they carried Basil Seeds. The Lady said that wasn’t something that they carry and tried to help me even further thinking where else (on this island) that would sell Basil Seeds.
Easily said, this is exactly how Customer Service should be conducted. Everything all fell into place perfectly and I was ecstatic that this kind of service still exists! Two thumbs up, a big «BRAVO», and all smiles to know how much I enjoyed the experience… and being the FIRST time walking into this Store. Definitely will be visiting this Store again and… if I can afford it… I’ll probably be brave enough to buy something!!! ;)

Love the selection, they’re always changing it up! Even though I’ve been going for over 5 years now, there’s always something new whenever I come here!
Good selection of local produce at better prices than DTE. Best papayas, oranges, avocados, tomatoes and lilikoi I find outside of farmer’s markets. Also love their bulk bin spices as they are the most fragrant ones I have found so far! Better than even the Indian grocery store! Staff are always super friendly and helpful, definitely welcoming and accommodating. Only didn’t give 5 –stars cause they are a bit hippie in that they are not super clean and slightly disorderly plus interior is a little dark which can sometimes make it hard to see their wares.

Kombucha on tap! Very cool, very tasty, very affordable. My friend’s sister brought me here, and I’d be interested in coming here again. Lavender kombucha please! Add a mason jar of your choice size, and keep some at home.
They serve hot food at certain times and there is a seating area in the back.
Friendly staff. Street parking or there are parking lots around the corner. Haven’t had a chance to peruse the store a whole lot, but the kombucha on tap seemed reasonably priced.

Amazing products, amazing freshly grown produce, I love the cleanliness of the whole place, the food bar is delicious and every dish I try is amazing! The kitchen crew cooking and cheffing it up are so friendly! I always find new natural and organic products, delicious Vegan cashew dip is so delicious! The hummus is so good too! I love coming to shop here at Kokua Market! The fruits are always so sweet too!
The only thing I didn’t really like was a cashier. She isn’t too friendly. Blonde hair maybe mid 20’s… Not even a hello or thank you after my purchase. Everyone else there is amazing! Maybe she has a bad day every time I come in and shop? I’m not sure but I always stay clear from her ringing me up. She’s the one you don’t want to go to when you’re checking out.
Besides that this market has it all! The best healthy chips I love, the seaweed popcorn is delicious! It’s like buying. Hurricane popcorn mix without the yucky heavy hydrogenated oils that longs or normal places pile into their snacks.
I always shop here even though I’m not a member. I love to stop by once a week!
I will shop here again today before leaving for Molokai. Stock up on some yummy food before leaving!

5.99 $/​lb for soup and decently priced plate lunches. Super friendly staff. The steak is amazing! The kale salad is not too overwhelming. Juices are natural but a bit pricey.

I saw this place when I went out to dinner the other night, and didn’t think much. Then a week or so later, my son and I are at Gaia and he tells me he’s thirsty. I remembered that this place was a block away so we went in to grab some beverages. So, yay for convenience!
There was plenty of parking in the back, and I noticed a few shaded picnic tables in a fenced off area for you to sit and enjoy your purchased items.
I also noticed there were several trucks, local farm trucks, with the farmers unloading their fresh produce directly into the store. It doesn’t get fresher!
Inside it was small, sorta cramped, but had TONS of options. The prices were cheaper than Down To Earth, there was a kombucha ON TAP!!, and a deli in the back with pre-​made sandwiches.
I grabbed 2 drinks and went to check out. The cashier was so nice, and she even offered my son some candy.
I’ll come here again when I’m in the area, I loved it that much!

Great non-​gluten selection of packaged and freshly baked items. Has a little deli-​like counter in the back with lots of healthy choices. Perishables (fruits and veges) section is limited either locally grown or organic. Not necessarily both btw. Tons of natural health supplements to chose from. Worth the visit if you want to eat healthy.

I have been a member for 15 years now and have experienced the progress made.
Thanks to all of the staff that made this happen. I feel I can rely on the produce and products offered.

Kokua Market Hawaii’s only natural foods cooperative. This store is located across the street from the 7 – 11 by Puck’s alley. Great place to grab organic and local foods. If you need legit grass fed local beef you should check this place out. The store has a good history about it, starting up before I was born. Sky kombucha also has a lot of their product on tap here and offers more selection and better price than Down to Earth. If you’re in the area this week and next hit up the deli. The good chef is in lol

I remember being hugely turned off by this store by the last of the few times I went in the store in my college days because the cashier asked me if I wanted a receipt and gave me stink eye when I said yes like I’m the killer of all trees. Then she asked me if I wanted a bag for my items and gave me the staredown of death when I said yes again. Sadly this sour experience kept me away for well over a decade.
Thanks to Julia S., I gave this place another shot about a year or two ago, and this has been my favorite natural foods store on Oahu ever since because they have the freshest local produce and hard-​to-​find bulk items, such as comfrey root powder, that I use for herbal medicine making. They are also open til 9pm, which makes it convenient if I miss farmers market hours.
Some of my favorite items here are the honey that’s harvested in Manoa, dandelion greens, Mrs. Cheng’s extra firm tofu, fresh olena, apple bananas, and tomatoes. Kokua Market also always has poi available (however, I am not a big fan of the taste and consistency of the brand of poi that they carry now). They also sell various sizes of individual mason jars and tincture bottles at reasonable prices. Kokua Market also sells healthy meats, usually grass-​fed, nitrate and nitrite free, wild, etc. Oh, they also carry organic natto, which is on my to-​try list, maybe if it ever goes on sale (because $ 5 for one tray is like robbery!).
Overall, the selection of items is great for a small store and the majority of the items are priced reasonably. Four stars because they are rather small, but I love supporting local businesses. The people working in the store are all volunteers, so please keep that in mind while shopping.
Happy and healthy new year to all!

I absolutely love this place. I love the kombucha on tap. And the hot/​cold food bar. And all the raw vegan desserts and seed crackers. I’m very grateful! :) Thank you all!!!
And the raw vegan lemon crème cake is ONO. :)

*A woman picks up a muffin and reads the ingredients* «Flour?!?» (with disgust)
A welcome haven for the food-​conscious (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-​free, GMO-​free, etc.). Has a wide selection: dry legumes & grains, sauces, packaged prepared foods, fresh produce, beverages, snacks, even a small section of cleaning supplies (with brands like Seventh Generation). I would’ve liked to see more local products showcased, though I did appreciate that they were there. the friendly staff looked like they were enjoying their jobs and asked if i needed help. I had a good time.
Too bad the prices make it less accessible to those with lower incomes; they mainly appeal to (from what I’ve seen) white upper/​middle class folks. It’s one reason I have mixed feelings about the food-​conscious movement, especially in Hawaii where the cost of living is already so high. Not sure if that can be helped.

This place is rad and makes me happy! I discovered it a week ago and have been back twice already and signed up to be a member.
Their kombucha selection (I think 8 flavors on tap) is one of the coolest things I’ve seen at a store. Their produce and bulk is on point, lots of cosmetic options. And my favorite is the «medicine cabinet» tons of herbs, teas, spices, etc.
I took my roommate here and she walked in thinking it was just another store and left with two bags full of stuff! She found things she hasn’t been able to find on the island since she moved here a few months ago. Sweet!
Also, the staff is really nice and helpful! Thanks for existing :)

I’m a member of the co-​op and have no regrets. It’s a great way to shop local. I’ve been cooking a lot more paleo dishes lately, and I’m able to find all of the ingredients I need here. I’m also a huge fan of their spice section. You can buy as much or as little as you need, and they have a good selection. This is great for someone like me who will use some random spice once and then never use it again.
Of course it’s not going to be as cheap as Safeway, but in the long-​run I think the cost of eating healthier and supporting local farmers and business is worth it.

In my quest for eggs that’s perfect and not those organic brown ones you find at Whole Foods, I found the Kokua Market that I had hoped would fulfill the need. I don’t have a Costco membership, so I was trying my best to shop local, versus going to those big supermarkets. All was for not though, as the Kokua Market Cooperative also had those organic brown eggs as well. I was dismayed to say the least, but at least I got to check this place out and see what this place had to offer! The parking can be found in the back of the building, but if you are like me, bus routes #1, #4, #6, and #9 run through the area, although #9 stops at Kapiolani Blvd, so you’re going to have to walk a block up.
One of my favorite things I have discovered while shopping here was that they sell pretty much ready made prepackaged Phở in a container. I kid you not. It was surprising to say the least. Wish I took a picture of it, but yep. Just buy the noodles, the beef, bean spouts, the basil, and jalapeños. Cook till ready and dig in. It’s pretty wild, but I digress. I bought a couple of the aforementioned bottles and see if they are restaurant grade broth that I am used to eating regularly. The Kokua Market cooperative is located on South King Street, across the street from the 7-​Eleven and next door to Saba Dee, a Thai restaurant. It’s near the University Avenue intersection, which is the main thoroughfare for those who wish to go to Manoa and Waikiki. Can’t miss it.
The Kokua Market Cooperative reminds me of a very small scale of Down To Earth. I wonder who was here first? Regardless of that, it was interesting to see that this small supermarket can compete with the others and with Down to Earth close by and Whole Foods in Kahala Mall. One thing about Kokua is that they are pricey, but apparently well worth their weight in local freshness and produce. They have pretty much everything you need for your organic lifestyle and even have a small aisle for vitamins and various supplements to keep you healthy and active. The service was good and seemed to be personalized than anything else. You’re dealing with a small consortium of growers and farmers, so the savings gets passed onto the consumer. While it may not reflect that on the prices themselves, you get that added value when you shop here and that’s what supporting local is all about.
My overall experience has been a good one. Makes me feel welcome and relaxed here. I know that I have more of an alternative when it comes to buying organic and shopping local. While I used to frequent Down to Earth and Whole Foods quite a bit, I’m better informed about Kokua Market Cooperative and will return in the future. While the prices can be up there at times, supporting local businesses is great, even if it can be $.50 or $ 1.00 over normally what you are used to buying. I did eventually try that Prepackaged Phở and it was very interesting to say the least. I think I should just dine out more. To each, their own, I guess!
At least I know where to get the noodles they use in Phở for other uses and dishes! Plain sphagetti wasn’t cutting it. The experience was pretty good and I recommend checking this place out at least once to give it a shot. Very similar to Down to Earth, although smaller in size, but they have a lot of heart. They’ve been here ever since I was attending the University of Hawaii back in 2000 and they’re still there! Over 12 years in that spot, so they’ve weathered the storm and still kicking! Awesome!
Support local!
B

Been coming here a lot due to my mom’s restrictive diet AND cleaning up mine. One of your smaller health food stores compared to Down To Earth and Whole Foods that’s for sure but their nitch is that they are a co-​op store. As a co-​op you are able to get discounts to help defer the high cost of eating healthier (or know someone that is).
Because it is a smaller store you will not find a large produce area but what you will find is locally grown produce as well as meats. Their hot food buffet is usually really good and a good variety.