Locally made ‘ulu pancake mix hits grocery stores statewide

A locally made ‘ulu (breadfruit) pancake mix is now available for purchase at Foodland grocery stores throughout the state.

To celebrate the launch of the mix, which is produced by the Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative, a series of live cooking demonstrations will take place throughout June at select Foodland locations on the Big Island and O‘ahu.

“‘Ulu is such a versatile and nutritious product and our chefs enjoy using it in many of our Foodland recipes,” said Sheryl L. Toda, vice president of branding and communications at Foodland. “We’re excited that our customers will now be able to easily enjoy delicious pancakes made with ‘ulu flour through this innovative local product.”

The Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative is a farmer-owned business founded in 2016 that works to revitalize ‘ulu as a viable crop and dietary staple for the community — and to guarantee a market and stable price for the starchy exotic fruit.

The co-op operates in Kona and Hilo, with more than 180 farmer members statewide.

Its ʻulu pancake mix highlights the cooperative’s commitment to revitalizing Hawai‘i’s food system by expanding the use of culturally significant staple crops. It also blends convenience with sustainability.

Dana Shapiro, CEO of the co-op, said the production of the pancake mix is a big step toward wider distribution of ‘ulu flour in the mainstream marketplace.

“Our hope is that it (the pancake mix) will make it much more accessible to try ‘ulu,” Shapiro said. “It’s a good product for Hawai‘i because it has a good shelf life.”

Breadfruit flour is a healthy alternative to conventional wheat flours. Shapiro said it’s low glycemic, which means it doesn’t spike blood sugar, and is loaded with micronutrients.

“To be able to hit the mainstream palate with something that’s more of a traditional food item, it’s really important,” said Lani Eubanks, a farmer in Hawī. “I do hope there is greater interest in the community at least trying it.”

The mix costs $12 per 8-ounce bag.

The pancake mix joins a variety of other retail products produced by the co-op, including ‘ulu humus, ‘ulu chocolate mousse and pre-steamed, peeled and cut canoe plants that include kalo, ‘ulu, ‘uala (Hawaiian potato).

‘Ulu is considered a canoe crop, which refers to the 23 plants Polynesian voyagers brought with them more than a thousand years ago as they traveled across the Pacific Ocean to the Hawaiian Islands.

The co-op also sells bags of ‘ulu flour, which they started producing in 2021, in specialty health stores. The pancake mix is a blend of ‘ulu flour, rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum and salt.

The peak season for breadfruit is from October through December.

The cooperative had a record ‘ulu season in 2024, bringing in 220,000 pounds between all of its member farmers. The flour production went from 5,000 pounds in 2021 to 15,000 pounds in the last season in 2024.

Eubanks’ farm in Hawī, a member of the co-op since its founding, has 48 ‘ulu trees. Eubanks said the production of flour allows her to use all the breadfruit her trees produce, from selling the actual fruit to using the less premium quality fruits in the flour or pancake mix.

Eubanks also has been using the ‘ulu flour to make drop noodles, banana bread and her own pancake mix.

“There’s a definite aftertaste with ‘ulu,” Eubanks said. “‘Ulu flour will give you the breadfruit taste. It is a little more dense, needing to use an extra egg or water.”

Shapiro said the co-op’s goal is to make the mix a permanent product sold in local stores and is looking at selling it in Safeway and Times Supermarkets on Kaua‘i, Maui and O‘ahu.