Our Vision
Inspired by Hawaii’s state motto, “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness” (Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono), we envision a Hawaii where all people “Cherish the land and live in health and harmony” (E Mālama I Ka ʻĀina, E Ola Pono).
Our Mission
We serve Hawaii by…
- Providing high-quality, local, fresh, organic, natural, plant-based foods and related products.
- Offering friendly and knowledgeable service in well-merchandized stores.
- Sharing information about healthy living.
Our Core Values
Our Core Values reflect what is important to us. They guide us and are the basis for our actions.
- Fresh – We feature fresh foods including farm fresh produce and delicious and nutritious deli foods made from scratch.
- Local – As a local company, serving Hawaii since 1977, we support local farms, locally produced products, local businesses, and non-profits, and actively promote healthy and sustainable living.
- Natural – We provide natural foods, supplements, and body care products that are minimally processed and are free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and other added chemicals. Down to Earth’s long-term goal is to be all-organic and GMO-free. We give priority to organic and Non-GMO Project Verified products.
- Organic – We support organic as organic farming methods avoid the use of toxic chemicals, are good for health and the environment, and are sustainable. USDA Organic is “protected, inspected, traced, and shaped by public input”. Regenerative organic agriculture builds soil health, ensures equity for farm workers, empowers farmers, and improves animal welfare; we support Regenerative Organic Certified® products.
- Plant-Based –The single most important thing an individual can do for their health, for the environment, and for the sake of the innocent animals, is to adopt a plant-based vegetarian diet. We do not sell meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or products derived from them.
Non-GMO
- Non-GMO – We avoid products with GMOs, and were early supporters of the Non-GMO Project which believes:
- Everyone has a right to know what is in their food and deserves access to non-GMO choices.
- Preserving and building the non-GMO supply chain is a critical step in transitioning toward a non-GMO food supply for future generations.
- The integrity of our diverse genetic inheritance is essential to environmental health and ecological harmony.
- A verified non-GMO system supports organic and regenerative agriculture by reducing contamination pressure and protecting the supply of non-GMO seed.
- We give priority to organic and Non-GMO Project Verified products in our purchasing decisions and have eliminated most products that contain GMOs. We:
- Avoid purchasing any new food products that may contain GMOs.
- Do not sell single ingredient GMO foods (including papaya, corn, soy, canola, potatoes, apples, or sugar produced from GMO sugar beets).
- Encourage our suppliers to become Non-GMO Project Verified.
- Actively support organic, sustainable, and regenerative farming methods.
- Support the consumer’s “right-to- know,” including clear labeling of products that contain GMOs.
- Educate and communicate about the economic, social, health, and environmental impacts of GMOs.
Brand Promise
“Customers can trust that at Down to Earth they will find a wide selection of high-quality local, fresh, organic, and natural foods and products; that they will be served by knowledgeable and friendly team members in well-merchandized stores; and that they will be provided with opportunities to learn about healthy and sustainable living. Customers can also trust that all the products sold in Down to Earth stores are plant-based/vegetarian. Down to Earth sells no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or products derived from them such as animal rennet contained in cheese, gelatin in capsules of dietary supplements, gelatin in food products, etc."
Mark Fergusson
Down to Earth CEO/CFO