Meet Leslie of Lava Meats

Leslie, a retired Army Warrant Officer, served in the military for 30 years before retiring in 2012 (mahalo for your service, Leslie!). After retirement, Leslie and her husband launched Carroll Guava Ranch raising sheep and poultry; which eventually led to Leslie starting Lava Meats, offering a delicious variety of meat products that were lovingly raised in Hawai’i. 

Leslie’s roots in farming run deep. She grew up on a small farm where her family grew vegetables, kept animals, canned food, and butchered their livestock. When she and her husband moved to a new property overrun by wild pigs, Leslie’s butchering skills came back into play. They began hunting the pigs and, rather than waste the meat, started making sausage. 

Encouraged by positive feedback from friends, Leslie and her husband considered turning their hobby into a business. The final push came when a local restaurant expressed interest in their lamb burgers, revealing the strong demand for locally sourced meat.

The Need for a Commercial Kitchen

Entering the meat industry is no small feat, as it requires USDA certification to sell to restaurants, retail outlets, and online customers. This certification process is lengthy and costly, often requiring a dedicated facility. To learn more about the certification process, click here. 

In their quest to achieve USDA certification, Leslie decided to become State certified which allowed her In 2020, to begin selling directly to consumers at farmers’ markets after obtaining a Mobile Food Establishment and a Green PASS Food Establishment Permit through the Hilo Food Hub.

With these permits in hand, they officially launched Lava Meats, marking the beginning of their journey toward profitability.

Business Growth

In 2020, Leslie and her husband took over operations at the Kaimu Farmers Market, not only to sell Lava Meats products but also to support other local farmers and producers.

Leslie’s first year in business with Lava Meats brought in $18,000 in sales, though she didn’t turn a profit. However, by her second year, sales had grown to $62,000, with 50% of those sales attributed to the SNAP/EBT program at the Kaimu Farmers Market.

Looking ahead to 2024, their goal is to achieve $1,000 in weekend sales, or $4,000 per month, to afford USDA certification and further expand their business!

Reaching New Milestones

As of February 2025, we are thrilled to share that Leslie is signing a 5-year lease to open up a butcher shop at 25 Waianuenue Ave! Congratulations Leslie! 

Shop Lava Meats 

• Kaimu Farmer’s Market: Visit us Saturdays from 8 am to noon.
• Punachicks Farm Stand: Visit us Sundays from 2pm to 5 pm.

Products: 

Frequently featured products include:

• Sweet Italian Sausage 
• Spicy Italian Sausage 
• Teriyaki Burgers 
• Green Chili Burgers
• Breakfast Sausage Patties
• Spicy Hotdogs 

Seasonal / Special Occasion:  

• Bratwurst
• Lamb Hotdogs
• Chicken/Turkey Hotdogs 
• Spicy Hotdogs 
• Buffalo Chicken Wings 
• Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
• Aged Top Sirloin Steaks 
• Prosciutto 
• Bacon

Hawai’i Meat Sources

• Beef: Hamakua Meat Processors
• Lamb: Carroll Ranch in Keaau
• Chicken: Punachicks Farm
• Pork:  JB Farms in Kalapana
• Turkey: Carroll Guava Ranch 
• Venison: Maui Nui Venison