Ka‘u is well known for its coffee. ADVERTISING Ka‘u is well known for its coffee. But can its water also fetch a premium price? A Hawaii-based water bottling company could find out. Hawaiian Springs, which currently utilizes a well in
Ka‘u is well known for its coffee.
But can its water also fetch a premium price?
A Hawaii-based water bottling company could find out.
Hawaiian Springs, which currently utilizes a well in Keaau, has submitted a proposed plan with the Hawaii County Planning Department for the “Pahala Town Square &Hawaiian Springs Facility.”
The plant would be located at a former sugar mill site at 96-3207 Maile St.
According to its application, the project would include a water bottle production and bottling facility, warehouse buildings and retail space. Tours also would be provided, and a water fountain would be placed in the middle of a roundabout.
A plan review will likely be complete by October, according to the Planning Department. If approved, the applicant would then seek building permits.
Hawaiian Springs owner Albert Kam said the project would bring much-needed jobs but declined to estimate how many.
“We’re here to provide jobs to the state of Hawaii,” said Kam, a former Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp. executive.
“We’re trying to rebuild manufacturing in the state of Hawaii.”
He declined to estimate when the facility could be built.
Kam said the plant would bottle “natural water” from a private well.
In the water bottling industry, “natural” refers to water that doesn’t go through additional processing to remove impurities, he said. It still must meet clean water standards.
Kam said “natural” bottled water is a premium product. In other words, consumers are willing to pay more for it.
Hawaiian Springs isn’t the first company to figure that out.
A Hilo supermarket was selling seven different bottled water brands labeled as from Hawaii on Wednesday; four of those are marketed as “natural” or “natural artesian,” meaning from a well. They tend to be the most expensive.
That includes one brand labeled “Kona Deep,” which said it contained “natural deep ocean electrolytes.”
While Hawaiian Springs sells locally, Kam said its main market is on the mainland and elsewhere.
“We want an export product,” he said. “We are poised to take advantage of that.”
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
