Hawaii Schools Have Partnered With Dole Plantation
Public schools across the islands have begun serving locally grown pineapple in breakfast and lunch menus.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Healthy Food
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The Hawaii Department of Education has initiated a partnership with Dole Plantation to supply fresh pineapple to students. Participating schools now include the fruit as a breakfast side and as an ingredient in new island chicken wraps.
Why it matters
This collaboration aims to increase the volume of local food purchases across the public school system by 2030. The initiative focuses on providing students with fresh, locally grown produce while supporting regional farmers and vendors.
The program has delivered 2,100 pounds of pineapple to 21 initial schools. Mililani Middle School, which serves between 1,000 and 1,500 lunches daily, is participating in the rollout.
The players
Hawaii Department of Education
This is the state agency responsible for the administration of public school education and school food programs in Hawaii.
Dole Plantation
This is a prominent agricultural and tourist operation in Hawaii that produces and supplies pineapple.
Kapiʻolani Community College
This institution is part of the University of Hawaii system and operates a notable culinary arts program.
Culinary Institute of America
This private college specializes in culinary, baking, and pastry arts education.
Mililani Middle School
This public school located on Oʻahu is one of the initial sites implementing the new produce procurement program.
The details
The Hawaii State Department of Education developed the island chicken wrap recipe in collaboration with Kapiʻolani Community College and the Culinary Institute of America. The Department of Education continues to coordinate with local farmers and vendors to ensure consistent supply for the expansion of the program.
Timeline
September 29, 2026: Program details were published.
Next month: Additional schools are expected to join the program.
2030: Target deadline for increasing local food purchases.
Culture Shift
This program follows the pattern set by the Hawaii Department of Education's 2030 local food purchase goal. It represents a concrete step toward integrating regional agriculture into institutional supply chains to reduce dependence on imported goods.
Students at participating schools will see changes to their daily breakfast and lunch menus featuring locally sourced fruit. These shifts reflect the state's ongoing efforts to prioritize local agriculture in public meal programs.
The takeaway
This partnership demonstrates a growing trend of state institutions bypassing global supply chains to support local agricultural producers. Families can expect a broader range of locally grown produce to appear in school meal rotations as the program expands through 2030.
What happens next
Additional schools across the state are scheduled to join the pineapple distribution program starting next month.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest initiatives in Healthy Food programs across the islands.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KHON2.
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