Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate gives back with Chocolate Laulima program | News, Sports, Jobs

Dennis Elms, factory and technology director, is part of the team developing Chocolate Laulima, a fundraising program for Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate and Maui nonprofits. Both parties to work together to raise money. — LISA FOTH/MKEC photo

In a time when businesses and nonprofit organizations alike are struggling to stay afloat, Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate is launching an innovative program: one that gives back to the community with every sale. This cooperative program is called Chocolate Laulima, meaning “many hands working together.”

MKEC Founder and CEO Dr. Gunars Valkirs developed the program as a way for both the chocolate factory and Maui nonprofits to benefit, in spite of the limitations imposed by COVID-19. Through Chocolate Laulima, supporters to Hawaii nonprofits can go to MKEC’s website and order bags of 50 or 25 5-gram individually wrapped chocolate pieces for $50 or $25 per bag (plus shipping). Under MKEC’s Chocolate Laulima program, the total amount for each bag sold is split 60/40 — 60 percent (or $30) is retained by MKEC and the difference of 40 percent (or $20) is returned to the nonprofit. As an example, if MKEC sells 1,000 bags of the $50 bags on behalf of the nonprofit, the nonprofit will receive $20,000 in donations from MKEC.

“The nonprofit community has lost much of its fundraising ability, because no in-person fundraising events are possible for the foreseeable future,” Valkirs says. “At the same time, MKEC has lost almost all of its wholesale business potential with the hotels closed and no visitors from outside Hawaii.

“The mission of our company is to give back 100 percent of our net profit, but we are not yet making a profit, so we have been brainstorming how we can give back to the community but also build our customer base until we realize profits. The Chocolate Laulima cooperative program is a fantastic solution.”  

Soon after creating the program in late August, MKEC immediately had five nonprofit organizations on board — a strong indication both of the need and of the potential for success. With the official launch of the program over Labor Day weekend, MKEC has 12 nonprofits confirmed. These participating nonprofits are: Grow Some Good, Hawaiian Humane Society, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, Hui No’eau Visual Art Center, Imua Family Services, Lahainaluna High School Foundation, Lions Clubs of Maui, Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Maui Arts League, Pacific Cancer Foundation, Theatre Theatre Maui, and Whale Trust Maui.

How will Chocolate Laulima work? Each nonprofit is responsible for promoting Chocolate Laulima amongst their supporters. MKEC provides a unique webpage to each nonprofit on MKEC’s website through which the customer can purchase products that will be credited to the nonprofit organization. At the end of each month, 40 percent of all sales for each participating nonprofit are paid as donations to each nonprofit. Sales, accounting and delivery are handled by MKEC. 

All Hawai’i nonprofit organizations are encouraged to participate in Chocolate Laulima. For more information, contact Dr. Gunars Valkirs via email at gunars@mauichocolate.com.

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