Irish Mahoney’s Umani Farms Maui business plan was judged the top entry and
winner of a $15,000 grant in the fourth Best Business Plan contest, staged
by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center (BDC).
The contest, which announced six winners earlier this week, was funded by a
$60,000 grant from the Maui County Office of Economic Development to
provide financial support for start-up businesses countywide. Entrants had
to complete a five-week BDC Core Four Business Planning Course during the
fiscal year, July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
A total of 12 plans were submitted for a juried review by an outside panel
of three community development partners. The top six plans received grants
with amounts based on ranking. Five of the winners came from Maui and one
from Lana`i.
The top prize went to Umani Farms, a start-up micro-greens farm in Makawao.
Mahoney has been involved in farming since an early age and saw an
opportunity to turn her passion into a business that provides for the Maui
community.
Her business plan calls for growing and supplying fresh organic
micro-greens to local restaurants, grocery stores and health conscious
consumers while employing sustainable agricultural practices. The plants
selected are nutrient dense and popular in the culinary world for vibrant
flavors, aesthetics and health benefits.
“Umani” means “to harvest” in the Filipino Tagalog dialect, which Mahoney
said connects the farm to the agricultural heritage and the land that
defines her mission.
“At Umani Farms Maui, we believe that harvesting is not merely the act of
gathering crops; it symbolizes the culmination of hard work, dedication and
respect for nature,” Mahoney said. “Our farm celebrates this philosophy,
where every seed sown represents a commitment to sustainability, quality
and community.”
The other winners and their grant amounts follow:
– Wealth Worthy Wahine, financial resource and training platform
for women offering online and in-person workshops; $12,500.
– HI Caliber Concrete, service company specializing in concrete
and asphalt cutting, concrete coring and other masonry services for
residential and commercial customers; $10,500.
– I Love Lanai Tacos, a food trailer on Lana`i specializing in
authentic Mexican dishes; $9,000.
– Thriftly, online secondhand apparel marketplace; $7,500.
– Maui Harvest Delights, mobile fruit and farm stand in Ke`anae
with soft serve farm-to-table frozen treats and locally grown produce;
$5,000.
Judging for the contest was based on business plan narrative and summary,
marketing plan, operational plan, cash flow projections and economic
diversity impact to Maui’s economy.
“Many entrepreneurs are hampered by the inability to garner funding to get
their start-ups off the ground,” said BDC Director David Daly. “We thank
the County of Maui for providing a boost to small business start-ups, who
are prepared for success through our Core Four business planning series,
and expanding the economic base of the county, which is dominated by small
businesses.”
The Core Four business planning class series covers writing a business plan
and provides the information needed to start, operate and grow a business.
It is geared for those thinking of starting a business or who are just
starting and need direction. It is offered multiple times during the year
on Maui and Moloka‘i.
The course costs $75. Financial assistance is available upon request. For
more information about Core Four, call (808) 249-2990 or go to
www.meoinc.org.
Irish Mahoney’s Umani Farms Maui, a micro-greens start-up in Makawao,
captured the top prize, a $15,000 grant, in MEO Business Development
Center’s Best Business Plan contest.