Farm Fresh Makeover For Area Grocery

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Foodland Farms Aina Haina will include a gelato bar featuring Hawaii-made gelato and sorbetto. Photo from Sheryl Toda.

Aina Haina’s Foodland Super Market will get a face lift and a new name later this year, along with some cool new amenities that should please customers.

Construction will begin in the fall to transform the old store into Foodland Farms, a more upscale version of the supermarket and the first on Oahu. The store will be closed during the estimated four months of renovations. Success of the Foodland Farms store at Mauna Lani prompted the upgrade of the Aina Haina store.

“Foodland Farms opened on the Big Island in December 2007. Our first in Hawaii, (it) was so well-received by the North Kona community. The feedback from customers has been very positive that we wanted to open another store like this on Oahu, said Foodland spokeswoman Sheryl Toda. “We believe that the store format, services and product offerings will also be popular with the Aina Haina community.” Maka’i cards will still be good.

Inside, the R. Field Wine Co. (also at the Beretania and Kailua stores) will have epicurean delights along with hard-to-find specialty wines from around the world. New brands also will be introduced, as well as a gelato bar serving Hawaii-made gelato and sorbetto, prepared foods, chef-prepared meal solutions, fresh made to order specialties like all-natural beef, pork and poultry, organic chicken, prepared, marinated and seasoned meats, stuffed entrees ready for barbecuing and a full choice of lamb and veal.

To transform the store takes more employees as well, and the payroll will jump from 42 to about 67, Toda said.

The store renewed its lease at Aina Haina Shopping Center in February with American Commercial Equities.