Maui Gold pineapple will continue to grow on Maui following the purchase of Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company by the LeVecke family, owners of Hali‘imaile Distilling Company and their flagship brand PAU Maui Vodka. As of March 1, the LeVeckes own Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company, doing business as Maui Gold Pineapple Company; the purchase is a strategic part of the continued growth of the distillery’s brands.

The LeVecke family’s purchase of Maui Gold Pineapple Company includes the base yard in Hali‘imaile and 800 acres of fields. Joe LeVecke, President of LeVecke Corporation, will continue to oversee all operations for Hali‘imaile Distilling and will now take on the operations of Maui Gold Pineapple Company.

“PAU Maui Vodka was developed as the only vodka in the world made from pineapples,” said LeVecke. “My father, Tim, and Uncle Neil knew they created something special. And Maui Gold Pineapples are of the utmost importance when talking about the quality of PAU Maui Vodka.”

As one of the big consumers of Maui Gold pineapples, the LeVecke Corporation has worked closely with the Maui Gold Pineapple Company for more than a decade. He said the opportunity to own the company is a “win-win” for all involved including their family, the Maui Gold employees and their families, other partner businesses, and the future of pineapple on Maui.

“We saw an opportunity to step up and take on the responsibility to keep pineapple growing on Maui,” said LeVecke. “With our Distillery in Hali‘imaile, we wanted to keep the agricultural lifestyle and traditions alive in our town and we wanted the hard-working employees to keep putting food on the table for their families. Clearly, from a purely business standpoint, we wanted Maui Gold to continue in order for us to produce our premium PAU Maui Vodka. Once we knew the farm operation could continue for many more generations, on a successful track with our shared business and family values, we were all in.”

Continuing to grow Maui Gold pineapple on the island is also beneficial to several other big consumers including MauiWine, which produces three distinctly different pineapple wines all made from the juice of fresh, hand-picked pineapples; the company also supplies Maui Preserved, Maui Brewing Co. and other companies.

“We look forward to working with the LeVecke Corp. in continuing to craft locally grown and produced wines from the Maui Gold pineapples,” said Paula Hegele, President of MauiWine. “We are grateful for their commitment to Maui farming and this exceptional pineapple.”

LeVecke said the company plans to spend more time on community outreach over the next few months. “We look forward to welcoming our neighbors and the broader Maui community to our properties,” he said. “We are planning tours of the fields, distillery and production headquarters as well as a family fun event; International Pineapple Day is scheduled on June 27, 2018.”

Hali‘imaile Distilling Company offers tastings and tours, and Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company will continue to offer “pineapple tours” with its partner Maui Pineapple Tours.

Photo courtesy of Hali’imaile Distilling Company

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