Posted on: Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Hawaii Kai Salts receives grants

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii Kai Salts, a research and development company in Kaunakakai, Moloka'i, has received a $300,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The company will use the grant to develop a local sea salt production and processing system.

Hawaii Kai Salts received an additional $25,000 from the High Technology Development Corp.'s Hawai'i SBIR Matching Grant program.

Nancy Gove, founder of Hawaii Kai Salts, said Hawai'i imports more than 600 tons of salt each year.

"Until the 1940's, Moloka'i was Hawai'i's largest commercial salt producer," added Gove. "But because of very stringent federal, state and county regulations, Hawai'i no longer produces its own sea salt commercially. We're hoping to change that."