Abundant Life Natural Foods — Local services in Hawaii

As a local resident & small business owner, living primarily off the food we grow on our permaculture farm on the Hamakua coast, I prefer to shop local & support other small businesses when I do find myself in need of non-food items & food that we aren't growing ourselves. This means that I primarily shop exclusively at either Island Naturals or Abundant Life. This past Saturday, I made a quick stop into Abundant Life to grab some last-minute items needed for an event that I was catering the next day. In the tea section of the store, was blue lotus tea by Anima Mundi brand. Anima Mundi is a brand that I trust & I have bought many of their other products in the past with wonderful & consistent results. This was the only blue lotus tea for sale in the store & Anima Mundi only offers this specific tea in just one size. The tea was very clearly labeled as Anima Mundi Blue Lotus with a $12.99 price displayed on that same label. I added this item to my cart, finished up the rest of my shopping & headed to the empty check out line. As the cashier scanned all of my items, my total came to $97, but I noticed that the tea rang up at a higher price than its designated label. I gently mentioned this to the cashier & since there was no line or anyone behind me checking out, I offered to show her where I found the tea & that I could point out the clearly labeled price tag of $12.99. She agreed & mentioned to someone that she was going to leave her area for a moment to check on a price discrepancy. The person she ended up mentioning this to, I discovered, was the Owner of the store. The Owner walked over to the tea section & I pointed out the item & price tag. She stared at it for a while & then mentioned that the price was for "a different size of tea." Not only were there no other sizes of this tea anywhere in the store, but I advised her that it wasn't possible for her store to offer this tea in multiple sizes because Anima Mundi only offers one size of this tea. She then muttered something under her breath that I couldn't decipher & disappeared into an employees-only door. I patiently waited 10 minutes for her return. She emerged from the door with a freshly printed label in her hand & immediately declared that the new label with a higher price was the correct label. Her energy felt very constricted as she said this & she avoided any eye-contact with me. I said okay, but then gently asked if she would please honor the very clearly listed price that was displayed on the shelf because that is why I was buying the tea & I was excited to try this item for the first time. I couldn't believe her response - she continued to avoid eye contact with me & said very sternly, "well, that's less than I paid for this & it would hurt my business to sell to you at that price... but if you feel that you need to do that -- then fine!" and glared at me. It was so unprofessional & felt so inappropriate to be on the receiving end of that projection. I responded by saying "It's not that I feel I need to do anything. The item was clearly labeled for $12.99 & I'm simply asking you to honor the price that it's listed for." She didn't say a word & continued staring at the shelf. After waiting for a response for about 10 seconds, I ended up walking back to the cashier line without the tea. The cashier had moved my items to the next line over since it had been about 12 minutes since she originally rang everything up. There was another cashier at the second line & both of them asked if I was buying the tea. When I responded that the Owner was unwilling to honor the listed price, they both seemed surprised & apologized to me. The Owner's projection of guilt & shame towards me when I asked if she would honor the listed price felt really disrespectful, as she completely neglected to take any accountability at all for the price discrepancy. I ended up supporting this business by purchasing the rest of the items that were rung up, but I will not be returning here again, which will likely "hurt her business" much more than her honoring the listed...

Located conveniently in Hilo town, this health food store has limited bulk section and fairly priced supplements. However, when checking out and asking about a discount we were informed that there was a senior discount, but a Hawaiian ID was necessary for utilizing it. While every other health store in the general vicinity offers some kind of loyalty program, From Keaau Natural foods, with a 15% discount to Island Naturals which has a 5 cash back after a certain amount. It is incomprehensible that this owner could be so exceptionally penorious. The clerk who explained this to us, when pressed, with a vitriolic dismissive attitude claimed it was store policy. Is the owner afraid that a senior tourist is less deserving than a local, when tourism is the main economic business in this area. I will not return to this store, and I suggest you also go elsewhere. Island Naturals is just down the street realistically, with a better selection and...

Abundant Life Natural Foods in Hilo is hands down one of my favorite grocery stores in the entire country! From the moment you step inside, you can feel the vibrant energy of a community-driven store that truly cares about health, sustainability, and local farmers. The selection of organic produce, natural groceries, and specialty items is unbeatable—fresh, diverse, and thoughtfully curated to meet every dietary need.

The staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and always eager to share tips and recommendations, making shopping here a genuine pleasure. It’s more than just a grocery store—it’s a cornerstone of the Hilo community and a beacon for anyone who values quality, authenticity, and conscious living. Whether you live in Hilo or are just passing through, Abundant Life Natural Foods is an absolute must-visit destination that never...