Big Island Candies

I’ve been here a few times and I’m always impressed with the cleanliness, packaging and variety of chocolate and cookies. I think opening the Ala Moana location was a bad idea. This was something that you had to come to Hilo to get so it was special. Now, its not so special.
You are greeted and offered a sample as soon as you walk through the door. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee is a nice addition. The brownies are really good, even the chocolate mixed with potato chips. I’m taking a few boxes back home with me.

The opening of the Ala Moana location may have taken some of the luster away, but it’s still great fun for me. Yes, I do feel like «a kid in a candy store.» Nice location near the airport with lots of parking.
You are greeted at the door with a smile and free samples. Then you’re ushered to the Kona coffee counter for another free sample. The store is decorated with seasonal displays. You can see into the factory through the glass walls. Although there are busloads of tourists inside, the service is speedy and efficient. There’s even an ice cream section in the back. Everyone is friendly here. I have yet to mention that the products are excellent with nice packaging. The chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are iconic.
This is the place to pick up that perfect omiyage. (Or if you’re waiting for your flight, a place to kill time with a lotta free samples.)

1. Good interior
2. Clean facility
3. Presentable packaging
4. Nice services
but, unhealthy, you know, sugars make you fat.

Fun little stop in Hilo, delicious chocolate covered cookies and you can watch them make it while you snack. There is a bounty of samples to be tasted. Once you enter and then again in the aisles as you shop.
The only ding is that they don’t sell ice cream by the scoop. You have to buy a whole pre-​scooped bowl. We wanted just one scoop of chocolate and I am sure it would have been delicious.
Not much to do in Hilo so definitely stop by and taste some chocolate.

I am hopeful and yet cautious when first encountering small, locally made chocolate treats. Sometimes sentimentality outweighs quality, resulting in overrated reputations. Not so with Big Island candies. This is really good chocolate dressing up local treats like macadamia nut shortbread. The atmosphere is sort of Hawaiian-​Asian posh, mixed with the childlike thrill of watching the treats being made through a huge window. We bought a box of cookies that we expected to last us throughout our three-​day, two-​night stay. They didn’t last for the length of our drive to the hotel in Volcano National Park! If you’re visiting the Hilo side of the island, it’s definitely worth a stop.

They have a great assortment of candies and chocolates to choose from.
As soon as you step in the door you are greeted by samples of sweets and a sample of coffee too. Both were great.
As you walk through the store you see other various samples of products, I tried all of them. I suggest buying a gift box. You can try a few different of their products this way for a cheaper price.
Plus the boxes the sweets come in are just as beautiful as the sweets inside. They are kind of expensive, but the quality is worth the price!
Walking toward the back of the store you can watch the workers actually making and dipping the cookies and sweets! I love it!

BEST COOKIES EVER. It’s pricey, but you can’t be thrifty when it’s gonna be the best cookies of your life. I came here like 5 minutes before closing and the workers were still super nice and offered me samples! Pretty good customer service! Apparently they don’t use partially hydrogenated oils here and Honolulu Cookies does, so the cookies here are healthier: P Also, they’ve got a great assortment of flavors and the packaging is amazing. I’ll definitely be making a drive all the way to Hilo just for these babies!

Pricey but you only can get certain goodies here so you have no choice. It’s worth the once in a while treat.
Every staff on the floor was helpful from the second you walk in.
All sorts of samples! YAY for samples! Helps with figuring out what’s good or not. Every time I come here, I take home something new. Today it was their red velvet brownie! YUMMY! Bought extra for gifts!

Candy factory that also houses a retail area. A lot of tour buses that bring tourists by the bus load to shop. Great to buy as island gifts since the chocolates are nicely boxed and packaged. Pricey compared to what you can buy from Walmart.

Haven’t been here in yearrrrs, like elementary school field trip years. BF loves chocolate so a stop here was a must for our Hilo day trip.
As we walked towards the entrance the lady inside opened the door for us greeted us with a big Aloha and smile. Not gonna lie I immediately wanted to spend money! She handed us the first (of many to come) free sample and offered us the coffee sold there as well. As we took a look at the workers In the chocolate room it hit me, wow this stuff really is hand dipped and made with a lot of care. Always heard it in the commercials but you never really know.
Walking around with my little coffee and tasting all the delicious treats, it really was an acca awesome way to start the day. Just the smell, mmmm, they definitely know what they’re doing. It’d be pretty easy to rack up a hefty bill shopping there as the stuff ain’t cheap but everything is high quality.
Oh and the cold stuff in the freezer, that stuff looked amazing too!

I love everything about this store… the lighting, the quality treats, the creative displays, the packaging… and the aroma…
*Inhale****
Oh that aroma…
That sweet smell of chocolate!
If you want to know a little about Hawaiian Culture and the importance of gift giving you need to visit the Big Island Candies website and read everything under «Our Story».
It’s customary for residents to give these chocolates and treats as gifts for housewarmings, birthdays, promotions, special occasions, etc…
Big Island Candies is one of the few local businesses that is now achieving international success and very popular in places like Japan.
I’ve attached some photos of some of their signature treats.
FYI ~ Big Island Candies also has a store in Ala Moana Shopping Center on the Island of Oahu.

Big Island Candies what was once exclusive only to the Big Island now has another location in Honolulu inside of Ala Moana Shopping Center.
For those of you who haven’t been here, whether you’re on the Big Island or in Honolulu, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a royally chocolatey treat, literally haha. I say royally because from baking to packaging to selling, everything is presented reminiscent for kings and queens. The end product so elegant in it’s package, a marketing gimmick that has been working for years is undeniable.
They make the original half-​dipped chocolate shortbread cookie hat has own over the hearts of many. With the changing times, they have so many varieties of handmade decadent goodies. For the adventure seekers, try the chocolate half-​dipped dried ika (cuttlefish). Haven’t tried it cause to me it’s kinda odd. Try it and let me know how that is haha.
Yes it’s a little pricey but everything is handmade. If you got the time, watch the workers work, smile to throw them off their game and give them a thumbs up! If you’re ever in Hilo, visit Big Island Candies, you won’t be disappointed.

Why did the cookie cry? Because its mother was a wafer so long! (ba dum tss)
Big Island Candies: where the tour busses go. And not without good reason! It is known, world wide, that Big Island Candies is a landmark here in Hilo, for sweet and delicious treats.
Known especially for their amazing shortbread cookies (that come in a variety of flavors and with numerous dips), that is not nearly all that Big Island Candies produces. From chocolate covered macadamia nuts to even chocolate dipped cuttlefish, they’ve got all of your sweet tooth needs covered.
Loved by locals and adored by those who aren’t fortunate enough to be able to drive there at any time, Big Island Candies makes a point of being able to get their treats around the world. As I recall, when you go there, you can get your items in a travel-​safe box of sorts, so you can take them on the plane. And even if you don’t get the special box and whatnot, the candies and cookies are all easy to transport anyways. Their goods even make for a great treat to send to that special cutie from out of town! However, it should be noted that you should be careful about the time of year that you send this stuff, as it can melt if the place you’re sending it to gets hot enough. Nobody likes opening that plastic wrapper to find a mess of melty chocolate; at least not in this case.
With a huge parking lot that is meant to accommodate large tour busses and a ton of cars, you’ll never have issues finding parking, which, let me tell you, I can really appreciate, with all the other tiny parking lots in town.
Big Island Candies is also a great experience, even if you aren’t buying something. Inside the store, there are free samples everywhere you look. Heck, they even greet you at the door and offer you free treats to try. Then, once you get inside, there is a big wall of windows into the factory itself, so you can actually see the action!
All around, Big Island Candies is a really awesome place, and if you can’t manage to visit the actual factory itself, do yourself a favor and try to get your hands on something from them to try. You won’t regret it!

I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid and it was where my mother would always take me after I’d been a particularly good girl. When you first walk in you’re greeted with the first of many samples the store has to offer. It’s usually coffee, brownies, and a cookie. Although I don’t like drinking coffee, Kona Coffee is the BEST, so make sure to try some. I have quite a few go-​to items whenever I stop by, but I can’t actually say what I like the most. Of their chocolates I tend to get the milk chocolate hibiscus the most. It’s a solid slab of milk chocolate shaped like a flower, delicious, but if you eat the whole thing you’ll definitely regret it. I recently became drawn to the milk chocolate macadamia nut opihi’s. These ones aren’t as solid as the hibiscus since they have crushed macadamia nuts on the inside, but they are delicious. They come in a case of three which is perfect to share with others (although I never do). I also really like their cookies. My favorites are the original shortbread dipped with milk chocolate, and then the dark chocolate shortbread dipped in white chocolate. Go for the dark chocolate if you don’t like things too sweet. The only item I’ve never been a fan of is the brownie, a bit too dense and dry.
The few downsides are that it can often get crowded since it’s a popular tour stop, and the items can get a bit pricey. Of course, you’re paying for quality and the chocolate is definitely top tier stuff, I actually prefer it to Godiva in NYC. I’d recommend buying some whenever you’re in town and bringing some back to the mainland for your family and yourself. Just make sure to keep them somewhere cool, melted chocolate doesn’t make the best gift.

A must-​stop for great treats for yourself and all your family and friends back home. There are a few free samples scattered about the store but if you’re curious about any of their treats, just ask at the front counter for a sample. They’re happy to accommodate.
My favorite item was the dark chocolate crispy trio: rice crisps, potato chip, and rocky road all with macadamia nuts and packaged in one box. Ate a bunch of pieces on the plane home which made the long trip much more bearable!

Loved my visit to Big Island Candies! I came here as part of my island bus tour, and it was one of my favorite stops. Big Island Candies is a very busy factory with tour buses dropping people off frequently. I just think that it’s a testament to how good this place is.
Right upon entering, we were offered free samples. A shortbread cookie and some Kona coffee. I declined the coffee, but boy did it smell good. The other people on my tour did tell me it was some of the best coffee they’ve ever had. Now the shortbread cookie was literally melt in your mouth good. As soon as I tasted it I instantly knew that I would be buying several packages. I ended up buying a package of the chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, pineapple shortbread, and dark chocolate dipped cookies. Let’s just say that only one package actually made it back to California with me. They also had macadamia nut chocolates and other candies which were packaged beautifully and would make for a great gift.
I just found out that they sell their products online at their website. This is very bad news for my wallet, but very good news for my stomach. If you’re in Hilo and looking for some genuine island treats, stop by Big Island Candies!

This is the perfect place to nab some foodie souvenirs before a flight home. You step in and are greeted by a worker offering cookie and coffee samples. Hooked in already! I love that you are able to get a glimpse of their hand dipping operations. Everything is super clean. The packages are nicely pre-​wrapped as gift bags, so it’s very convenient. My personal favorite is the dark chocolate shortbread cookies.
Tip: They offer sugar-​free shortbread cookies.

Growing up in Hilo helped me appreciate small businesses and support them however I can. Once upon a time, Big Island Candies was just that. It’s so wonderful to see how this company has flourished and continue to produce wonderful products for kamaaina as well as island visitors.
I don’t return to Hilo often so it’s great to be able to purchase their products in Honolulu and elsewhere. But, something is said about coming home to their landmark location. I can’t think of any other chocolate place that welcomes you with a generous sample of cookies, chocolate and coffee and offers samples through the store so we can taste and comprehend what their products truly taste like. One of the best parts is understanding how things are made and seeing the production line and those wonderfully dedicated employees who are pure examples of the why their products are of the highest quality.
One could get soaked up in the array of cookie and chocolate selection they have as well. It’s sort of an elegant chocolate wonderland with decorations and interior designing that is very well planned out. Again, another sign of the quality and process that his family owned company is dedicated to.
Thank you BIC for great experiences and great products!

«Come with me
And you’ll be
In a world of
Pure imagination»
Yum, yum, yummies! There is nothing like diving into a bag of chocolate-​dipped shortbread cookies, ripping open a box of lilikoi dark chocolates, peeling the wrapper off a green-​tea dipped shortbread cookie, or biting into a dark chocolate-​dipped coffee cookie that will take you to your Happy Place. Mmm! Sure, us mainlanders can get their fill of chocolate-​dipped shortbread cookies at Trader Joe’s but Big Island Candies does it better. Buy some goodies for friends, your loved ones, or even a special someone! No matter what you get from here, it’s guaranteed to make your taste buds sing and your booty jiggle.
«Take a look
And you’ll see
Into your imagination»

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: Hawaiian Style!!! Big Island Candies is located in Hilo, minutes from the airport.
As you enter in the small building, you are given samples and a shot of Kona coffee. Next, you can see the cookies being made. After that, there are several display cases with all the varieties on display. In addition, there are more samples. Lastly, as you check out there is Roselani ice cream, smoothies and an ice cream pie that looked decadent.
I tried the ling hing mui cookies for the first time and they were outstanding. I have had Honolulu Cookie Company cookies, and Kaua’i Cookies version, but Big Island Candies’ cookies are Po’okela (Best of the Best)!!!
Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc’late and a miracle or two
Big Island Candies can, oh Big Island Candies can
Big Island Candies can ’cause they mix it with love and makes the world taste good!