Nothing spreads joy like chocolate

Some of Menehune Mac Chocolate Factory’s Mele Totes

Menehune Mac Chocolate Factory’s delectable chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and sweet treats can always be found at its factory store in Kalihi. But this month, you can also find them at a kiosk in Windward Mall.

“We usually have a 1,500-2,500-square-foot store in November and December,” explains executive chocolate taster Susan Morita. “We decided to have a weekend-only pop-up due to the unknown and to service our loyal Windward customers.”

Specials Menehune Mac has put together this year include a Martini Glass ($10) filled with five foil-wrapped dark chocolate peppermint crunch candies, as well as a customizable Gift Tote ($27-$200, known as Mele Totes) filled with everything from dark chocolate arare to choco chip mac nut cookies to mango tea and more — all tucked in an insulated, zipped tote.

Things have been rough this year, to hear president and chief menehune Neal Arakaki tell it.

“We survived a lot of business hardship in the past with 9/11, the bursting of the Japanese bubble economy and the great recession, but none of these events have taken away so much from us as COVID-19.”

Arakaki and Morita credit partnerships with other local businesses that have helped them survive.

“We’ve survived 81 years so far, and we’re determined to see our 82nd birthday,” Morita declares.