GOOD NEWS on Maui Gold pineapples (see update below)

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2009/11/4/Maui_Land_Pineapple_production_ends

:(

[ Edited by: Rum Balls 2010-01-05 06:49 ]

Terrible news... :( indeed....

GOOD NEWS!

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2010/1/2/Maui_pineapple_production_to_continue

There is joy rising! Good News, Good News!

The Maui Pineapple website indicates they're "out of stock" on the single pineapple orders. Anyone in the Bay Area want to go in on a 6-pack?!

That sounds wonderful!

...but this also sounds like those investors (i.e. company stockholders) just thought of a quick way to downsize and fire a lot of people without the hassle:

"The new company’s investors and principals include a number of former executives and operations directors from Maui Pineapple Co. and Maui Land & Pineapple. The majority owner is Pardee Erdman, owner of upcountry Maui’s Ulupalakua Ranch and Tedeschi Vineyards. Tedeschi's selection of wines includes several made from Maui-grown pineapple juice."

FANTASTIC!!! Man, are you on top of this one, Paul. What a bonus that the majority owner is Pardee Erdman of Tedeschi Vineyards - a wonderful upcountry winery. Gorgeous views & excellent wine~

"bigbro" - kind of a snap judgment when you claim the new owners devised to
"downsize and fire a lot of people without the hassle." Sounds more like an unfortunate but necessary evil that had to take place in order to secure the existence of a true Maui institution.

Again, mahalo for the terrific news, Paul! See you up here for a party this summer!!!

-Andy

On 2010-01-08 16:00, Tiki Joe's Pop wrote:
Sounds more like an unfortunate but necessary evil that had to take place in order to secure the existence of a true Maui institution.

And that sounds exactly like what the stockholders would say. :D

I really don't know what on earth would make so suspicious! Were there perhaps events in recent history where big money was acting out of pure profit reasons instead of for the good of the working public? :)

On 2010-01-09 07:56, bigbrotiki wrote:

I really don't know what on earth would make so suspicious! Were there perhaps events in recent history where big money was acting out of pure profit reasons instead of for the good of the working public? :)

In this case, the "working public" is ultimately being preserved. Indeed, it's at the expense of downsizing out of sheer necessity for lack of a larger investor who would secure those jobs for all past employees. Aside from the presuppositions, I would agree with your suspicions IF this was the reorganizing of some Wall Street backed business, but this is Maui, and it might be beneficial to err on the side of trusting the good reputation of Tedeschi Vineyards, who, when all is said and done, might actually have GOOD intentions. Still, I surely would have liked to have been the proverbial fly on the wall for the meetings that hammered this out. :)

In the end, it's still a great thing that this generations-old tradition will carry on!

Cheers~
Andy