Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd. (MPC) was a subsidiary of Maui Land & Pineapple Company Inc, and was the USA’s largest grower, processor, and shipper of Hawaiian pineapples. MPC had existed for a century, based in Maui, Hawaii, United States, and at one time cultivated and processed approximately 2,200 acres (9 km2) of pineapple. The company was the last producer of Maui-grown pineapple, from 1909 to 2009.[1]
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The "Maui Gold" variety was introduced to the market by MPC in 2005. It is naturally sweet with a low acid content. Maui Gold is sold in Hawaii and the USA mainland, in both the West Coast and Midwest markets. Maui Gold Organic reached the market in 2007.
Maui Pineapple Company used field rotation, cover crop, and fallow time to manage sustainable agriculture. MPC fields were being evaluated for diversified crops, including taro and other tropical crops. The company used an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system to reduce pesticides.
Maui Pineapple Company originated from the holdings of the family of missionary physician Dwight Baldwin. It began in 1909 as the Keahua Ranch Company. It became the Maui Pineapple Company in 1932. In 1962, it merged with Baldwin Packers. In 1969, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. incorporated Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd. as its subsidiary devoted to agricultural operations.[2] The company owned a multi-purpose processing facility in Kahului, Maui, where its fresh fruit packing and processing operations are consolidated. The facility also provided refrigerated storage, freight consolidation and warehousing to the greater Maui farming and agricultural community. Maui Pineapple Company's headquarters were located in Kahului, Maui with a satellite division, Kapalua Farms, located near Kapalua Resort, which was also owned by its parent company.[3]
Maui Pineapple Company was shut down at the end of 2009. A group of former investors formed the Haliʻimaile Pineapple Company and bought the assets of Maui Pineapple and licensed the "Maui Gold" trademark.[4] The new company kept 65 of the old employees, and will concentrate on local markets.[5] The Kapalua Farms organic pineapple operation was taken over by Ulupono Sustainable Agriculture Development, backed by investor Pierre Omidyar in early 2010.[3][6]