Papaya's Natural Foods — Restaurant in Kauai

I'm afraid I can't recommend this store at all and instead go to Hoku Natural Foods down the block. As someone who has shopped in health food stores all over the country, I was shocked to find how horribly I was treated at this store. I went there and was talking to the woman who works in vitamins. I told her that where I was staying had a roach problem. She pulled out a product that was $16, a spray that said kills on contact, and said that I had to buy that, that they use that in the store themselves, and that it works. I didn't ask her for a solution I just told her what was going on because we were talking and this is what she said. She also said I should get some essential oils because roaches hate certain essential oils and they either die from them or it repels them. I spent $40 on these products and sure enough they did not work at all. In fact the spray had orange oil on it and it made me slip and trip on the wood floor. The owner of the property wound up getting an exterminator and we also put down combat baits and that has solved the problem not these products. So I went to return them and the manager asked me to wait and she went to go talk to someone and came back and said no, they were a recommendation so they won't take them back. I asked to speak to the person who told her that and some twitty, young thin guy with brown hair comes out with a total attitude, he stared me down and then with the meanest, disgusted attitude told me he doesn't care, he's not taking the products back and I told him it was $40 of my hard earned money down the drain, and that his employee said I had to get it to solve the problem. He said too bad we're not taking it back and his attitude was so bad that I was shocked that he treated a paying customer like that. While I was waiting for him to come out I asked a question to a woman in her 40's who had dark curly hair who worked at the register and she literally told me she didn't care. I think she caught herself because then she changed it to that she didn't know. She also had a horrible, very negative attitude. What I've noticed about Kauai, and I've been here 2 weeks so far and I will be here another two weeks, is that there are a lot of super nice locals but there are a lot of really angry, mean locals and the store employs a lot of angry mean locals. It's their loss, I was about to spend about $75 in there on several vitamins and food products but I walked out and told them I was never coming back again and they said okay we don't care. If you eat healthy like me, I highly suggest going to Hoku Natural Foods down the block, where you can get specific items exclusive to heath food stores and who employ really nice people. Also, I got the rest of my healthy items at Costco, Safeway and Walmart at a fraction of the cost of Papaya. I recommend staying away from this store. Just an aside in general, the angry, mean locals don't want tourists here but they overcharge for everything so they definitely want your money, they just don't want you...

Papaya’s is a very valuable resource for both locals and visitors to Kauai. If you’re used to shopping in health food stores (anything from Whole Foods to your local organic grocers) then you’ll want to check out Papaya’s. The nearby Foodland has a small designated health-food section, but Papaya’s blows this away. Whether you (like me) forgot your razor and want to pick up a Preserve recycled razor, or decide (like me) that you really need deodorant on Kauai and want something non-toxic and eco-friendly, then stop at Papaya’s. You can pick up anything from limes to go with your Koloa rum, bulk macadamia nuts or trail mix for your hike, decent grass-fed cheese (the selection in Foodland is poor), gluten-free items, or meals to cook at home. They also stock a lot of local products (and produce, like my limes) such as organic bread from the Passion Bakery, very affordable local honey, and proper grass-fed eggs. Prices are also good – for example, a 12 oz. jar of Hanalei honey cost only $5.39, and 8 oz. of organic cheddar was on sale for $5.99.

I’m giving them 5/5 green stars for social and environmental impact. It’s a pillar of the community (the mayor even proclaimed June 6th as the annual Papaya’s Market day!) that stocks and supports products from a lot of local farms and business. It’s a woman-owned, family-run business that’s a member of the Independent Natural Food Retailer’s Association (like Down to Earth on Oahu and Maui, or Bi-Rite in San Francisco) who’s core values are to encourage a healthy and sustainable lifestyles with integrity and transparency. In the store, the staff creates a very friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Of course the green-star rating is largely down to their product section – and, having reviewed many products for social and environmental impact, I’d say that they stock some of the most responsible products available. There are also a number of farmers markets on Kauai, but if you need to visit a store, Papaya’s is a much better option than Foodland or Safeway. Plus they give you a 15 cent discount for bringing your own bag – even better than...

A warning about Payayas Natural Foods

After several years of being a loyal customer, I can say I will no longer be shopping there.

Today my five year old son started reading off cuss words from little purses placed at his eye level, while I shopped for supplements. He was in disbelief at what he was reading, as we do not speak like that in our home (F word and others). He looked to me for an explanation of why these words were posted in our family friendly grocery store.

When I complained and asked the supplement staff person if she could help to move the bags with cuss words higher than the eye level of a child, she seemed understanding and I began to take action. I thanked her and continued shopping.

As we approached check out, I was verbally violated by a girl named Tatiana, who threatened to 86 me if I had a problem with their bags, then threatened to call the cops when I attempted to express my concern and the actual request I had originally stated to her coworker. She would not hear me, and was clearly shaking as she spoke. When I attempted to empathize with her and asked her to see from my eyes as a mother, she was extremely rude and dismissive, again with the threats to throw me out and eventually insisted I leave (without my items) or she would call the cops for trespassing.

My son was shaking and crying when we got to the car. What an awful experience.

As someone who has been in customer service for 20 years, and has been in management, this type of behavior was absolutely disgraceful to the business and should not be tolerated...