Founded in 1983 by Ed Thielk, Mana Foods, has grown from its humble beginnings with the help of partners Sunette Fenn, Theresa Thielk and Chris Ozee. Mana Foods, is now a bustling business that employs over 100 people, most of them full time. It takes a dedicated team of this size to operate a vitamin room, produce and meat departments, bakery, deli and more.

Mana Foods is recognized for its wide range of natural and organic products, which are sold at the best prices. By buying in volume and passing on 100% of every discount received, they are able to offer those savings to the customer.

With over 400 local vendors, Mana Foods is a huge supporter of Maui and Hawaii companies. The colorful produce aisle at Mana Foods has an average 80-90% Certified organic or unsprayed items and 40% of produce is grown in Hawaii.

This year, Mana Foods has been nominated for a Mayor’s Small Business Award and is recognized as the best health food store on Maui, by both the Maui News and Maui Time Weekly. In February, Esquire magazine voted the breakfast burrito as one the best breakfasts in America.

Mana Foods in the News:

The Maui News, October 29, 2009, CARLA TRACY photo
Mana Foods
Celebrates 25 years with giveaways, demos, prizes, lots of Halloween fun
It started out 25 years ago in Paia as a tiny hole in the wall that sold only fresh-squeezed juices. Now, Mana Foods is the most powerful health food store on island with over 100 employees.

These days, Mana Foods features more than vegetarian options. There is a department packed with natural gourmet meat and seafood, a deli headed by Thai Chef Suphan Ann Gale, a bakery, a vitamin room, the famous wall of chocolate, and household and pet items.

"We always try hard to have our food be affordable. We are just doing the customer appreciation week to thank the community," says partner Sunette Fenn, who runs the store with founder Ed Thielk and his sister, Theresa Thielk, along with partner Chris Ozee.

"Our event this week includes customer giveaways, prizes, nutritional education, product sampling and Dr. Hauschka facials and more."

From 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Mana Foods will host a barbecue fundraiser with 100 percent of the profits going to the Paia Youth & Cultural Center. Just look for the grills going out by the cart cage to the side of the store.

"We're going to have some really good food," says Fenn. "We'll have healthy plate-lunch options, including locally caught fish; grass-fed, antibiotic-and-hormone-free steak and vegetarian selections."

Over 300 local vendors, "just about everyone on island," says Ed, sell their products to Mana Foods. Saturday, you may come shop at the store and get an up-close look at some of them.

"Saturday features Meet the Farmer with Anuhea Farms and their asparagus, and Green Leaf and their yacon," says produce manager Ryan Earehart. "Yacon is a Peruvian root like jicama. Saturday we'll also have a cheese demonstration on the bamboo bar.

Since Saturday is Halloween, and Paia is celebrating in a big way, Mana Foods will provide all-natural treats for the keiki from 5 to 7 p.m. outdoors along with a magic show and bagpipers.

In addition, from now through Saturday, if you buy $250 worth of products, you'll get "a free bag of schwag," or a free bag of store items (while supplies last).

This year, Mana Foods was nominated for the Mayor's Small Business Award. It was also named "Best Health Food Store" on the island in The Maui News.

Hotel Review: The Paia Inn Hotel in Maui - May 24, 2009
. . . Mana Foods, a large health food store that’s a prime spot for eavesdropping on hilarious conversations about chakras and organic spelt.

Voted one the 59 Best Breakfast Places in America - February 26, 2009
Esquire Magazine's unranked, incomplete, and unimpeachable list of the best breakfasts across the country. No brunch allowed.
Mana Foods — Paia, Maui, Hawaii
The breakfast burrito is open to interpretation, which is both its genius and its potential downfall. Using the kitchen-sink approach, anything that can be jammed into a tortilla along with eggs — rice, bacon, beans, onions, sausage, sour cream, enough cheese to pave a road — is considered a fine addition. But as the cooks at Mana Foods demonstrate each morning, the key to perfection is restraint. Mana's contains only organic scrambled eggs accented with just enough cheddar to let you know it's there, small potato chunks sautéed in butter, and a sprinkle of diced green pepper. — Susan Casey

Stock up on local fish and grass-fed beef for your barbecue here. You can find the best selection of organic produce on the island, as well as a great bakery and deli at this typically crowded health-food store.

According to Concierge.com Quite possibly the best, most affordable health-food grocery store in the United States. Whether you feel like a breakfast burrito or a marinated tofu and avocado seaweed wrap or a slice of cake, nothing will set you back more than $6. The perfect place to stock up before the long drive to Hana. If you're staying nearby, you might want to stop in just to gawk at the beautiful yoga-toned hippies and surfers (and their offspring) populating the aisles.

Vegan chef and environmentalist Renée Loux was featured in the September 1, 2007 isssue of Body + Soul
"Loux swears by Mana Foods, a market and bakery in Paia. Pack a picnic of freshly prepared coconut shrimp. Thai chili tofu, or vegan pumpkin pie before heading out to nearby Ho'okipa beach for a day of windsurfing." read Maui's Natural Side