Sugar and Poi is solely owned and run by KawaiLehua Santiago, a young mixed Hawaiian woman born on the mokupuni of O'ahu.
Growing up on the mokupuni of O’ahu, I have been immensely blessed to experience the physical and spiritual beauty that Hawai’i offers. Since I was a child I have felt a deep connection to my Hawaiian culture and to the land and sea. I have always understood the delicate balance of give and take that is not only perpetuated by the Hawaiian people but also the multitude of cultures that have raised me. My goal for Sugar and Poi is far more than creating plant based deserts. I desire to intertwine the knowledge of my Kupuna from the past, the present woman I am now and the successful Hawaiian business woman I desire to be into a business that is built for its community. I aim to redefine the business model using the influence of indigenous sustainability practices and community building concepts all while creating and elevating the plant based dessert game.
Named after a popular dish I enjoyed as a child, Sugar and Poi, represents the cultural diversity of both myself and the Hawai’i community.
Sugar and Taro were both crops introduced to Hawai’i by the Hawaiian people in 600 AD. Kalo is the ancestor of the Hawaiian people and has always been a rich source of sustenance for the community. Sugar cane, once a medicinal crop, was later commodified into a cash crop that sparked the plantation era that attributes to Hawai’i’s rich diversity today. So Sugar and Poi is a representation of these different cultures and histories that tell much of my ancestry as well as many other local and Hawaiian people.