Once upon a time, two chicks were hanging out in a hammock. Today, Michelle Jones and Katherine Crosby are taking over the island with their Backyard Juice, Hawaiian Salt, Hawaiian Chili Pepper Pickles, Bread and Butter Pickles and Dill Pickles and even a new food booth!
Backyard Juice Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water is the original product from Two Chicks in a Hammock, and according to their website, it’s their version of traditional Hawaiian chili pepper water. “It goes well on all kinds of fish, dried, cooked or raw, grilled steak, grilled veggies, noodles, seafood such as shrimp, opihis (limpits) and oysters, as a marinade for any protein, including tofu, as well as in stir-fry’s or on eggs or rice to add a kick of spiciness. Our chili water is made on Maui from mostly all local ingredients and sold in locally made bottles.” In 2014, they also unveiled a gluten and preservative-free version made with non-GMO, low sodium San-J brand tamari that sells at natural food stores.
I kept hearing about Two Chicks at last month’s Startup Weekend with the Waikapu Pickle Team (more on that one later) – “Those ladies are killing it!” I heard. “I think they’ve even quit their jobs!” was the rumor… turns out that’s only half true… And they were kind enough to donate to my basket of Made on Maui items for the Carden Jamboree, so yes, it was time to the Two Chicks blog post.
So here it is…
Maui Made: There’s a rumor going around that you’ve quit your jobs and this is now your full time gig… any truth to that?
Michelle Jones: It is my full time job as of December 2014. Kat is still working for the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. I was a case coordinator for Easter Seals Hawaii before this. We started this company in January of 2013 and bottled our first round of Backyard Juice Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water (the original recipe) in June 2013. It just got to the point where I was working on Two Chicks stuff until 10 at night and I had to take the risk and do this full time.
MM: Where are you making your products?
MJ: We make our products and food at the Lokahi Pacific Kitchen
MM: Tell me more about the new food booth!
MJ: We started our Pork, Chicks N’ Picks food booth in December 2014 selling our smoke pork, rosemary chicken, spicy, dill and bread n butter pickles, seasoning salt and Backyard Juice. We are at the swap meet, Kihei 4th Friday, the Ag Festival, and various concerts and festivals. Soon we will have a set roadside spot each week as well. It is going well. People are getting to know us and come back to tell us how much they enjoy the food. We are also offering our smoke meat, rosemary chicken, pickles and garlic brussel sprouts for parties in advance!
MM: What’s the hardest part of running a small business in Maui?
Maui Made 
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