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. 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 Business Development Center 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 Lānaʻi.
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 microgreens 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.
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