Who doesn’t love a Ted’s Bakery pie? From its island-famous chocolate haupia pie to its blueberry cream pie, there’s really no wrong choice. However, you’ll soon have to make the trek down to the bakery’s physical location on the North Shore of Oʻahu to get a slice for yourself, as the business will be ending its wholesale operation on May 20, 2022, after 26 years.
While you could easy find a Ted’s Bakery pie in local grocery stores and shops—like Foodland, Times, Don Quixote and Tamura’s—around Oʻahu, Maui and Kauaʻi, an unexpected supply chain issue has been plaguing the local business for years—and enough is enough. The ingredient causing the issue is a specific type of starch that Ted’s Bakery uses in its baking process that keeps the right consistency right as it is frozen and shipped to local grocery stores and outlets.
Tory Nakamura, who now runs the shop after the semi-retirement of her father, Ted Nakamura, said that the manufacturer of the ingredient is no longer producing it, which is turn makes it unclear whether or not the bakery will be able to return to its wholesale operation at all.
“This has been an ongoing challenge since the summer of last year, and we have tested multiple substitutes but unfortunately have not had great success. At this time, we don’t know if we can go back to wholesale,” said Ted’s Bakery in an Instagram post. “Pies and cakes will still be available at our Sunset Beach location. We truly appreciate your understanding and continued support.”
So if you’re craving a Ted’s pie, what should you do? Make a day of your sweet-tooth journey and head up to the North Shore, where you can also enjoy some of the best beaches on Oʻahu. And for visitors traveling to the state, you’ll have a great excuse to actually check out the bakery’s brick and mortar location, which also happens to sell delicious plates of garlic shrimp as well as burgers and other delectable plate lunch options.
For more information and for store hours, visit Ted’s Bakery’s website.
