Hawai‘i Island Meat is a producer-owned and -operated business established to provide high-quality, humane slaughter services for island ranchers, and to increase the availability of fresh, local meats for consumers.

Our Mission: To provide quality, local, and wholesome meats through a collaboration of small family producers and Hawai‘i consumers.

himc-animal-squaresAnnouncing our Producer Membership Drive!
After over four years of planning, Hawai‘i Island Meat Cooperative (HIMC) will begin commercial operations of its Mobile Slaughter Unit (MSU) in 2017, bringing USDA-inspected slaughter services directly to small- and mid-scale producers and regional processing sites around the island. Hawai‘i Island livestock producers raising pigs, sheep, goats, and cattle are now invited to join the Cooperative as producer-members!

Learn more about HIMC Membership and fill out an application
A cooperative structure was determined to be the right business model for HIMC because of the project’s purpose of serving an unmet need shared by a large number of small producers. Also, most producers on Hawai‘i Island lack the capital to establish a business of this scope on their own. By working together, they are better able to leverage economies of scale, attain bargaining power, and tap the social/ political connections needed to bring this project to fruition.

Learn more about MSUs and see a slideshow of HIMC’s MSU being constructed here
The USDA defines MSUs as “self-contained slaughter facilities that can travel from site-to-site.” This method has been successfully used by small-scale meat producers in dispersed rural areas, needing better access to USDA-certified meat processing and interested in more a humane option than transporting their animals long distances.

We’re hiring!
HIMC is looking for a business manager, head butchers and assistant butchers. Detailed job descriptions and application requirements are available on the Employment page. If you know someone who might be a good fit, please let us know by email at HawaiiIslandMeat@gmail.com or phone at (808) 776-1870.