Maui Land & Pineapple Company Names Darren Strand to Lead New Agave Venture
Experienced ag leader to grow new opportunities on former pineapple lands in Upcountry Maui
HĀLIʻIMAILE, HI (October 17, 2025) – Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (NYSE: MLP) has appointed Darren Strand as Director of Agricultural Operations for its new agave venture in Upcountry Maui. A respected leader with decades of experience in Maui’s agricultural community, Strand will oversee agricultural strategy and operations, implement sustainable growing practices and help guide the farm’s continued growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Darren to this new role leading our efforts to responsibly return former pineapple fields to productive use,” said Race Randle, CEO of Maui Land & Pineapple Company. “Guided by Darren’s expertise, the land is becoming fruitful by growing a water-efficient crop into a sustainable farming enterprise that supports local jobs.”
Strand is an agricultural expert with over 30 years of experience, including two decades of farming on Maui. Most recently, he was a director of Hawai‘i Farm Project and previously served as President of Maui Gold Pineapple Company. He is President of the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, a grassroots non-profit organization founded by Hawaiʻi farmers and ranchers involved in all aspects of the state’s agricultural industry. Strand has also served on numerous other boards and organizations focused on conservation and farming, including the Maui County Farm Bureau, Grown on Maui Committee and Maui Food Innovation Center Advisory Committee.
“I’ve spent my career working on strengthening Hawai‘i’s farms and food future, and I jumped at the chance to work with MLP’s new leadership team to reimagine responsible, diversified agriculture in Upcountry,” said Darren Strand, Director of Agricultural Operations, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. “This new venture pairs good farming practices with responsible stewardship to create a resilient farming operation that strengthens local production and benefits our community."
First Phase of Planting Completed
The first phase of the project includes using certified organic methods to cultivate blue weber agave on underutilized croplands, spanning over 25 acres within a 120-acre planting zone in MLP’s Upcountry lands. This milestone marks a new chapter in the company’s commitment to revitalizing its agricultural lands.
“We selected blue weber agave because it’s drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and full of potential,” Randle added. “It checks all the boxes, honoring our agricultural roots, revitalizing land and reducing fire risk, while using little to no water and creating new job opportunities on Maui.”
MLP is overseeing farming operations and incubating the new venture. In the future, it plans to collaborate with experts and mission-aligned partners to scale cultivation, production of value-added goods, and new agritourism opportunities.
MLP’s last pineapple harvest was in December 2009. Since then, MLP transitioned from operating commercial agriculture to leasing land to tenants who are still actively farming or ranching on the company’s landholdings. The launch of the agave farm signals the continued strategic shift to maximize the productive use of MLP’s landholdings to create new value and meet community needs, like boosting local food production and new employment opportunities for local residents.
For additional information, please visit www.mauiland.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s ability to put its land into productive use and our ability to cultivate and commercialize Agave. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. Actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results discussed in these forward-looking statements because of possible uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are discussed in the Company's reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available on the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether because of new information, future developments or otherwise.
About Maui Land & Pineapple Company
Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (NYSE: MLP) is dedicated to the thoughtful stewardship of its portfolio, including over 22,000 acres of land and 247,000 square feet of commercial real estate. The Company envisions a future where people can thrive in resilient communities with sufficient housing supply, economic stability, food and water security and deep connections between people and place. For over a century, the Company has built a legacy of thoughtful stewardship through conservation, agriculture, community building and land management. The Company continues this legacy today with a mission to thoughtfully maximize the productive use of its assets to meet the current critical needs and those of future generations.
The Company’s assets include land for future residential and mixed-use projects within the world-renowned Kapalua Resort, home to luxury hotels, such as The Ritz-Carlton Maui and Montage Kapalua Bay, pristine beaches, a network of walking and hiking trails, and the Pu‘u Kukui Watershed, the largest private nature preserve in Hawai‘i.
Ashley Takitani Leahey
