Grand Wailea and Erewhon Create a Partnership Rooted in a Sense of Wonder
When our Southern Californian guests visit us in paradise, they tend to get a bit homesick for the comforts of Erewhon, the iconic LA-based organic grocery and café, boasting 9 locations and growing. And who can blame them? Imagine having daily access to unbelievably healthy, sustainably sourced products that are hand-picked to inspire well-being and bring about healthier lifestyles in ways that are both creative and inventive…and incredibly photogenic and fun. Think of a cornucopia of products spanning sea moss gel sourced from Saint Lucia, artfully crafted plant-based sushi, adaptogen-loaded sparkling teas, fastidiously crafted detox smoothies that kick-start and cleanse the body, and so much more.
Erewhon truly is a nirvana of health and well-being (or “a health food holy site,” as Vogue magazine puts it), which is why Grand Wailea is especially thrilled to be Erewhon’s first hotel partner for the organic market chain’s newly expanded membership program. As part of this partnership, Grand Wailea provides Erewhon members with exclusive resort benefits (including resort credits and category upgrades) and offers select Erewhon goods and offerings on property.
“This amazing partnership allows us to bring a bit of Erewhon to Maui, combining the incredible lifestyle Erewhon provides with the immersive tropical luxury experience Grand Wailea offers,” says JP Oliver, Managing Director of Grand Wailea. “We look forward to enhancing and enriching this unique partnership to give our guests access to a wellness experience found nowhere else.”
When the partnership launched in June 2022, we decided to start small and take gradual steps forward together with Erewhon to ensure our shared commitment to health and wellness, as well as sustainability, remains intact. Our first step was introducing Erewhon’s best-selling dry goods at Loulu, Grand Wailea’s wellness-focused market. Judging from how fast Loulu sold out of and had to restock several Erewhon cult favorites (including divine organic spirulina artisanal popcorn, trail mix, dried chili lime mango, and powders and elixirs), it was clear that we were onto something. In addition, the feedback from all our guests was so overwhelmingly positive that we knew we had to grow our partnership even more—and quickly! “When we first started exploring this partnership opportunity, there was an immediate click between Grand Wailea and Erewhon,” says Hillary Sandbach, Grand Wailea’s Complex Director of Marketing. “At Grand Wailea, we’re wholly committed to sustainability, and we also embrace a farm-to-table philosophy, with 75% of the produce used in our restaurants sourced from our on-resort gardens and farms in Hawaiʻi. What we do here resonates with Erewhon’s commitment to wellness and health and to its local communities, helping create a natural synergy for this amazing partnership.”
After the success of Erewhon’s dry goods at Loulu, we worked together with them to expand our partnership with an eye toward future collaborations. Central to our discussions was bringing some of LA to Maui, and vice versa, so we compiled lists of plants we grow and use here at the resort, and Erewhon combed through their curated products to see which of their food and wellness offerings fit best with Maui and Grand Wailea. Moreover, we’ve been working closely with our spa therapists and chefs here at the resort to develop some co-branded wellness and gourmet experiences, including exclusive Erewhon-curated spa treatments, kitchen takeovers with guest chef collaborations, and…well, we can’t give everything away just yet!
At the heart of all these ideas is the strength of Grand Wailea and Erewhon’s shared commitment to authenticity and honesty, and our mutual desire to create unique experiences by adhering to the most exacting of standards.
“I’m really excited about our partnership with Grand Wailea, which is a perfect fit,” says Vito Antoci, Executive Vice President of Erewhon Markets. “Both Erewhon and Grand Wailea have a dedicated, passionate clientele, which reflects a relentless focus on creating and delivering captivating, transformative experiences. What we provide to our customers at Erewhon, and what Grand Wailea in turn provides to its guests, is a natural authenticity—an innate understanding that moments and experiences rooted in nature are the ultimate luxury.”
Indeed, both Erewhon and Grand Wailea delight in celebrating and showcasing the beauty of the natural world. The Grand Wailea experience, after all, is underscored by the breathtaking natural beauty of our island home, from the dreamy expanse of Wailea Beach to the otherworldly summit of Haleakalā. Complementing this is our world-class on-resort art collection, which brings our natural and cultural heritage to vivid life.
Similarly, with its unique vision and devotion to authenticity, Erewhon transforms the day-to-day grocery shopping experience into something more memorable.
“Erewhon creates a visual impact from something as simple as a fruit display,” says Sandbach. “There’s a sense of awe, a sense of wonder about the little things, the mundane—it’s like what we do at Grand Wailea.”
