Maui Land & Pineapple Company
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Landholding, real estate development, resort management, agriculture (former) |
| Predecessor | Baldwin Packers (merged in 1962) |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founder | Henry Perrine Baldwin, David Dwight Baldwin |
| Headquarters | Kapalua , United States |
Area served | Maui, Hawaii |
Key people | Colin Campbell Cameron (first president and CEO), Richard Cameron (former CEO), Steve Case (principal investor) |
| Products | Real estate development, resort management, formerly pineapple farming |
Number of employees | Approximately 65 (at transition to Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company in 2010) |
| Website | www |
Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (ML&P, ) is a landholding and operational enterprise established in 1909, with its headquarters located in Kapalua, Hawaii, United States. The company possesses roughly of land on Maui. ML&P is engaged in the development, sale, and management of residential, resort, commercial, and industrial properties, as well as retail and utility services within the Kapalua Resort. Additionally, the firm oversees the [[Puu Kukui|PuTemplate:Okinau Kukui Watershed Preserve]], among Hawaii’s largest privately owned nature reserves. In the past, ML&P was involved in pineapple farming.
Organization
Following the closure of its pineapple operations in 2009, ML&P streamlined its structure from three to two main business segments. The Resort segment administers the golf courses and vacation community at Kapalua Resort through Kapalua Land Company. Meanwhile, the Community Development segment handles real estate projects including development, construction, permitting, sales, leasing, and also operates Kapalua Realty brokerage services within Kapalua Resort.
Kapalua Land Company
Founded in 1975, Kapalua Land Company, Ltd. (KLC) manages the Kapalua Resort, which comprises over 800 residences including homesites and condominiums, golf courses, tennis courts, a spa, retail shops, and pro shops. The resort is renowned for hosting the PGA Tour’s season-opening Hyundai Tournament each year.
Real estate
The Community Development division specializes in high-end real estate within Kapalua Resort and supervises ML&P’s land development efforts along with construction, sales, leasing activities, and utility management through Kapalua Water Company. Completed developments include Honolua Village Center, Kapalua Coastal Trail, Kapalua Spa, and The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay. Future projects focus on creating affordable and mid-range housing along with mixed-use communities at Pulelehua in West Maui and expanding [[Haliimaile, Hawaii|HaliTemplate:Okinaimaile]] located in Maui’s Upcountry area of Kula.
Maui Pineapple Company
Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd. (MPC) was recognized as the largest producer of Hawaiian pineapples in the United States. Originally established as Keahua Ranch Company, Ltd. in 1909, it adopted the name Maui Pineapple Company in 1932. MPC grew and processed approximately of the "Maui Gold" hybrid pineapple variety. Operations included Kapalua Farms near Kapalua Resort where they cultivated Kapalua Gold and Kapalua Emerald organic pineapples alongside Kapalua Natural transitional pineapples. The farm also supported organic diversified agriculture and offered Pineapple Farm Tours. MPC discontinued its operations in 2009.
The company maintained a multifunctional processing facility in Kahului, Maui that centralized fresh fruit packing, refrigerated storage, freight consolidation, and warehousing for Maui’s agricultural industry. Its main office was located in Kahului with an additional branch at Kapalua Farms near Kapalua Resort, both under ownership of the parent company.
After MPC ceased operations, the locally owned Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company took over cultivation on approximately 1,350 acres situated on the slopes of Haleakala.
Pineapple Varieties
Introduced by MPC in 2005, the "Maui Gold" pineapple is distinguished by its naturally sweet flavor and low acidity. This variety is distributed throughout Hawaii as well as on the U.S. mainland markets including West Coast and Midwest areas. The Maui Gold Organic line has also been extended to include melon products.
Pineapple Farming in Hawaii
Maui Pineapple Company (MPC) implemented environmentally responsible methods such as crop rotation, the use of cover crops, and allowing fields to lie fallow periodically. The firm also investigated growing a variety of crops, including taro and other tropical species, while employing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.
History
Established in 1903 by Henry Perrine Baldwin and David Dwight Baldwin—sons of missionary Rev. Dwight Baldwin—the family acquired vast tracts of land across East and West Maui, concentrating on pineapple farming and livestock ranching. By 1933, their holdings spanned roughly 22,600 acres on Maui.
In 1962, the company combined operations with Baldwin Packers. The formation of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. occurred in 1969 through the merger of assets from Alexander & Baldwin and the J. Walter Cameron family; it subsequently became a publicly traded entity with Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. as its agricultural division. Colin Campbell Cameron, representing the fifth generation of the Baldwin lineage, was appointed as the inaugural president and CEO, serving until 1992.
Investor Harry Weinberg purchased shares but was refused a position on the board by the Cameron family. In 1975, ML&P created Kapalua Land Company Ltd. to focus on resort development, while Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. maintained agricultural activities. The enterprise ventured into upscale resort projects featuring golf courses and hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Notable conservation initiatives included dedicating over 3,300 acres to marine habitat preservation in 1978 and protecting more than 8,300 acres within the Puʻu Kukui Watershed Preserve by 1988.
The discovery of ancient Hawaiian artifacts during hotel construction in 1989 introduced cultural considerations that influenced development strategies.
Under the leadership of Richard Cameron—Colin’s son—the company ceased operations at its pineapple cannery, the last remaining facility of its kind in the United States, pivoting towards marketing fresh pineapples. After Weinberg’s passing, his shares were managed to ensure company continuity. Leadership transitions involved CEO Gary L. Gifford stepping down in 2003 and Donald Young assuming interim CEO duties; that year also saw the sale of a shopping center in Kahului.
In 1999, Steve Case, a former AOL executive, became a principal investor by acquiring Weinberg’s shares. By 2005, Richard Cameron had resigned from executive roles as new management pursued an aggressive expansion of resort properties. The original Kapalua Bay Hotel was replaced in 2006 by an exclusive club offering memberships reported to cost $375,000.
Economic pressures such as escalating fuel prices, a slump in real estate markets, and declining tourism resulted in financial losses and workforce reductions in 2008. By 2010, Case had increased his ownership stake to over 60% while successfully reducing company debt.
On December 31, 2009, MPC concluded nearly a century of pineapple cultivation on Maui, temporarily leaving the island without commercial pineapple production aside from a small Dole operation located on Oʻahu. In response, former executives and local investors founded Haliʻimaile Pineapple Company (HPC) in 2010 to continue cultivating and marketing fresh pineapples under the Maui Gold brand; HPC leased essential assets from ML&P and retained approximately 65 employees.
The organic pineapple operation at Kapalua Farms transitioned early in 2010 to Ulupono Sustainable Agriculture Development with backing from investor Pierre Omidyar.
ML&P divested its golf course properties through sales of the Plantation golf course in 2009 and the Kapalua Bay course in 2010 to TY Management Corporation as part of a broader strategic realignment of assets.
Related links
- 20th-century American landowners
- Companies based in Hawaii
- Maui
- Pineapple production
- Agriculture in Hawaii
- American companies established in 1903
- Agriculture companies established in 1903
- 1903 establishments in Hawaii
- Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
- Food and drink companies established in 1909
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment