THE STORY BEHIND ME KE ALOHA

In 2020, everything we knew changed. COVID-19 affected the world, but our islands and economy, largely based on tourism, were especially devastated with lockdown after lockdown. My own event planning business came to a complete halt in March 2020.

With no work and nothing to do (there is only so much Netflix one can watch a day) I decided to take a trip and spend time with family and friends on the mainland. That little trip turned to 3 months away from home. Perhaps it was because I didn't have the usual set of responsibilities consuming my time and attention, but I had a new-found awareness of what "Mainlanders" thought of Hawai'i. The tchotchkes and Hawai'i-branded products (usually made in China) were everywhere and people bought them!

I knew that there was a need to provide great quality products that were truly supporting island businesses and not some large corporation using the idyllic setting of Hawai'i to sell their cheap products. I wanted to be able to share not only some of my favorite local items, but focus on products and businesses that were sourced locally, not found in big box retailers (In fact a lot of our vendors were discovered at local farmer's markets), and were also driven to improving our islands land and ocean via various conservation missions.

After months of brainstorming and sharing my ideas, Me Ke Aloha was born. Every step in the process was thought out. How do I create a luxury experience with so many other gift box companies out there? How do I stay true to our mission of being eco-friendly and sustainable when I have to safely package and ship items? How do I work with small businesses on turn around times and quantities when there is only one maker/artisan?

It has been an amazing journey and while I am still learning and growing, I am proud to say we have stayed true to our goal and mission every step of the way. Me Ke Aloha, loosely translated as "with love", is intended to restore that warm, fuzzy feeling of hearing from a loved one. At a time when nurturing our friendships and relationships have never been more important, we hope to provide a unique gifting experience that leaves a lasting impression.