Spanning four generations and over 80 years in the business, Armstrong Produce is guided by strong values inspired by the Teruya family’s humble beginnings.
Our History
1940s to 1970s - The truck farming business evolves into a small wholesale operation, called Honolulu Produce, on River Street in downtown Honolulu.
Photo: Billy, Yoken & Harold Teruya at Honolulu Produce in 1959
1979 - Harold Teruya, buys Armstrong Produce, located at the former Food Distribution Center in Kaka'ako and continues to grow the business on O’ahu.
Photo: Harold Teruya, and wife, Ethel, at Armstrong Produce in 1999.
1980s & 1990s - Armstrong Produce started supplying Maui with fresh produce in 1981 and formally expanded its operations in 1987, under the name of Kula Produce, a sister company, to service the growing Maui market.
Photo: Kula Produce employees in 1996
2005 - After 26 years in Kaka'ako, Armstrong Produce Honolulu moves into their new state-of-the-art facility in Mapunapuna, Honolulu's industrial district.
Photo: Armstrong Produce Honolulu's office in 2006
2006 - With the success of Kula Produce, Armstrong Produce expands into Hawaii Island, beginning Armstrong Produce Kona’s operations.
Photo: Armstrong Produce Kona's new warehouse groundbreaking in 2014
2016 - Armstrong Produce Kona's new state-of-the-art warehouse, complete with three banana ripening rooms opens.
Photo: Armstrong Produce Kona's new warehouse in 2016
Notable Firsts
Armstrong Produce was the first produce wholesaler and distributor in the state of Hawaii to:
Charter cargo planes to import produce from the continental US by air in the 1960s
Introduce a fleet of temperature-controlled trucks in the 1980s
Construct a climate-controlled, transitional facility with cold chain protection in 2005
Secure food safety, HACCP, and GFSI certifications beginning in 2003
Tag and track every case of produce that enters our warehouse
Our Mission Statement
![thrive-together.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56ba614af85082678fd09991/1572910605599-K8V61CG9FNZ36UL5FU6S/thrive-together.jpg)
Our Core Values
Treat everyone from growers to peers to customers like family. Offer support, be humble, act with integrity and be respectful.
Don’t shy away from tough situations. Create solutions where the company wins, the customer wins, and the community wins.
Communicate openly & listen with intent. Bad news doesn’t get better with time and you can’t help fix what you don’t know.
Always bring your best. Your job is bigger than you know! Together we’re responsible for nourishing our ‛ohana across the state of Hawai‛i – our family, our friends and our neighbors.
Earn our customers’ business every day. Anticipate their needs, offer innovative solutions and deliver the best possible service.
1930s & 1940s - Ushi & Yoken Teruya, and their nine children, grow and harvest cabbage, string beans and papaya at the family farm in Kailua. The Teruya family begins to help neighboring farmers transport and sell their produce throughout O’ahu.
Photo: The Teruya children working at the family farm in 1947.