The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has changed course on the Makaweli Poi Mill on Kauai. Instead of shutting the mill down, OHA will transition ownership from its nonprofit subsidiary Hiipoi LLC to a community organization.

Pacific Business News reports: 

“We want to ensure that people in the Kauai (taro) community would become the new owners and managers of Makaweli Poi Mill,” OHA CEO Kamanaopono Crabbe said in a statement. “We know that local decision making is important for our Hawaiian community. So our transition plan is intended to make that happen.”

Just last week, the poi factory posted on its Facebook page that Hiipoi “has suddenly and unreasonably given the poi mill 2 weeks notice with highly questionable plans for the mill’s future and no community input.”

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs bought the assets of Makaweli Poi Mill in 2008 for $185,000 from kalo farmer John Aana. OHA formed Hiipoi LLC for the purchase, and kept the Makaweli name.