Hawai?i’s Department of Education is increasing its use of locally grown food in school meals through pilot programs and procurement changes, even as it remains well below its mandated target of sourcing 30% locally by 2030. The department spent just 6.5% of its total food expenditure of $77.36m on local food in the 2024–2025 school year, but officials say that figure has already risen to around 8% as new initiatives take hold. These include small-scale pilot programs introducing local ingredients, such as ?ulu and kalo, into school menus, as well as new purchasing models that allow smaller farms to supply specific products rather than requiring large, all-or-nothing contracts. Officials say these changes are helping build relationships with local producers and enabling them to scale up over time. New leadership hires and increased internal support are also credited with accelerating progress, following past criticism over weak strategy and execution. Looking ahead, a planned central kitchen set to open in 2027 is expected to further boost local sourcing by improving processing and distribution capacity.
