WHY JOIN HFIA?

According to past HFIA CEO Glenn Muranaka (Meadow GoldDaries), “HFIA is a Premier Organization committed to an effective/efficientsystem to provide Hawaii consumers the highest of quality products, with apowerful impact to Hawaii’s social, economic, and governmental environment.”The organization has changed with the times and has implemented a new committeestructure to ensure that the organization always has its finger on the pulse ofthe industry. HFIA purpose it to actively promote the interests of Hawaii'sfood and beverage retailers and suppliers through highly effective governmentrelations and advocacy, members education, industry and community relations.

HFIA is a trade organization made up of food retailers,wholesalers, manufacturers, and brokers as Regular Members. Other firms areAssociate Members including firms that work with the food industry, liketransportation, financial institutions, media, services & repair,publishing, insurance, etc.

 HFIA’s primary function is to act as liaison betweengovernment and the food industry. HFIA keeps the industry informed of the government’s activities. HFIA isinvolved in the passage or defeat of most legislation affecting our industry, whetherit is taxes, environmental, consumer protection, employee issues, and evenissues relating to crime. Many times, HFIA may be the only organizationrepresenting your interests.

 HFIA has many social functions, which provide our memberswith a strong feeling of Ohana.

 HFIA has an Annual Convention and Meeting where reports,elections, awards, motivational speakers, and installation of new officers isseparated from social events which include golf, children’s functions,receptions, a banquet, and picnic.

MEMBER COMMUNICATION

·  HFIA developsnewsletters and email bulletins to inform members of vital food industryinformation. Vital information includes updates on legislative bills thatdirectly affect the food industry, updates from the DOH on food safety, updateson requirements that members will be legally obligated to meet such as COOLlabeling and changes to nutritional labeling.

·   HFIAensures maintenance of our websites for 24/7 access to information atwww.hawaiifood.com 

· Personal calls on vital issues

· The Hawaii Retail Grocer Magazine, the major publicationof the Hawaii Food Industry Association, reaches members and non-member,including Legislators, Council Members, Government Officials and GovernmentAgencies. Our magazine allows HFIA to not only disseminate information, but toeditorialize on issues that need further explanation.  The Hawaii Retail Grocer explains why HFIA takes positionson issues affecting not only the industry, but the community. Our publicationalso allows us to share success stories of member firms and educate the publicon what is happening within Hawaii’s food industry.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

 Community programs are a way for HFIA to give back to thecommunity that we live and work in. HFIA has several community programs thatinclude:

·  Dueto the generosity of our membership the HFIA Foundation trust has reachedalmost a million dollars. 

·  The HFIA Rainbow FeverProgram was developed to support scholarships for UH athletes. The program isbeing redesigned to include Non-Athletic educational programs that will bedirected toward environmental issues, and recruiting employees into the FoodIndustry.

·        HFIA helped create the Hawaii Foodbank www.hawaiifoodbank.org and has been a major supporter since it started. This is avital community program, especially when our economic conditions go in thewrong direction.