Big Island Candies

I absolutely love this place! When you walk in it is like being in a Hawaiian version of the “Wonka Chocolate Factory”. You are greeted immediately and the samples start coming from coffee and cookies to candy. Note it is a bit spendy but so worth it! It was just before Easter so they were quite busy but that just added to the experience. We got to watch the candy being made and that was super cool. Highly recommend a stop here. I recommend the Carmel nut patty ($7-$8)-it is sooooo good! I am sure you will find something just perfect for you. It is not a big place, but it is a great stop to cool down and have some sweets, when visiting the sights in Hilo.

Springtime always some lovely surprises. Highly recommend asking for samples of anything before you purchase. Pink cherry blossom cookies were delicious. The other thing my sister purchased was a hot dog at the counter and she said it's probably one of the best ones she's ever had. Little pricey at $5 but absolutely delicious and highly recommended. Kona coffee is 100% delicious and true Kona coffee. It's pricey also, but we couldn't resist.

Start with the free samples at the door and a sample of coffee! You can actually watch the process of making the candy and shortbread. The assortment is amazing. You are guaranteed to find something for everyone's snacking preference.

A must go place when visiting Hilo. We went there on a Sunday and the store was packed. When entering the store we were friendly greeted and we were given some free samplers. Their candy and cookies are truly delicious and locally made. A place you shouldn't miss when visiting Hilo. Maybe the offer guided factory tours as well, I don't know.

I guess I am just an idiot who didn't read everything about the store because when I read "candies" I automatically thought there would be more than just chocolate and cookies here. My daughter was insanely disappointed that there was no candy here. The packaging is gorgeous and would be perfect for a gift for someone. They give free samples when you walk in, which is super nice. And the bathrooms were great.

everyone was absolutely so kind. The young man at the door helped me find the right products that I needed. I had to get several. The gentleman behind the register gave me individual bags for the cookies. He was so kind and he made good conversation. Thank you so much for all your hospitality. I know my daughter and her team at college will be so happy with the surprises of yummy cookies!!

Stopped in on a recent trip to Hilo. The macadamia butter cookies were delicious! It was fun seeing the workers hand dip the cookies. Prices seem a bit high for what we got but the cookies were good nonetheless. Would buy them again

Best short bread cookies. My favorite is actually the coconut over the Mac nut but you can’t go wrong with either. I also love their mini chocolate chip Mac nut cookies.

Great stuff! Hand dipped cookies? See for yourself. The store has a window and you can see them at work in the factory. These cookies and snacks are top grade. We usually have them shipped but a visit to Hilo had us filling up our suitcase with these delicious treats.

Big Island candies deserves 5 stars but my last meeting was simply depressing. Gone are the spicy chili cookies, gone are the incredible Wafer Bark that I have purchased over the years. It was my single greatest item I loved at this place. I've given them away, eaten lots of them, always told people about it. I have not met one person that didn't like them. Imagine my surprise when I heard the Wafter Bark is GONE! Just canceled out of existence. NO!!!!!! Don't forget your roots. Don't forget what made you famous. Dipped shortbread is all over the place.... but no one ever had the Wafer Bark. Lots of things are gone in Hilo now. I never thought Big Island Candies would get rid of one of their most popular items. Even the workers seemed bummed out that it was gone. They said write corporate. I did. I hope they change their mind and regain their 5 stars.

Food: make sure you do a sugar check after visiting. Lol Nice treats for all...variety of chocolates, short bread, etc. they also have little sweet/salty snack packages. This is the largest sweet treat place in Hilo. Service: everyone was so friendly . Ambiance: spacious...the goodies are displayed well and are easy to pick your treat without knocking anything else over.

Friendly storefront with free samples on arrival. We received a shortbread cookie and brownie sample plus a sample of coffee. You can see the ladies standing behind the windowed factory area hand dipping the cookies into the chocolate. The store was clean, organized, and decorated nicely for the holidays. I liked how sometimes they showed an open sealed box - so you could actually see what was inside each box. We bought 4 or 5 boxes of treats to share with our friends back home. They give you a punch card and for every $100 spent, you can get $5 off your next order. You need it, because their items are pricey!

This is probably the best place to stop by to get your sweet chocolate treats for gifts when you go back home. They have a lot of different varieties, from chocolate covered nuts to chocolate dipped cookies, brownies, and coffee. They have a big window where you can watch the factory workers make the sweet treats. The merchandise is a little on the pricey side. Everyone there was very friendly and helpful. They have plenty of parking.

This was my first visit and a friend recommended it. We loved that you can watch the making of the cookies. The store is big, spacious snd well laid out. Very pretty seasonal decor and beautiful packaging. They are generous with samples of cookies, brownies and coffee. Great gifts and very nice staff.

Ever wonder where these amazing cookies are made? This store had all the delicious treats, coffee, and you can even watch the chocolate dipping. The staff were really kind and the store was quite large. It was a nice space to just browse around. It is quite expensive but you are getting high quality treats!

Today's sample shortbread cookie and brownie...sample coffee was promoting 100% Kau coffee which was pretty good.

Very nice spot to stop around Hilo on your way back from the volcano. In house made sweets. The chili chocolate toffee was delightful and the dark chocolate dropped biscuits were perfectly crisp and crumbly

Staff was super friendly and it was a sight to see the location where it's all made! Got to try 100% Kona Coffee and it perked me right up! They also have a history on some of their confections and all the different flavors to see, would recommend as a place to get gifts for sure! - Miguel Morales Photography

10/10 whole experience! This store has the factory visible once you walk in so you're able to see how some of these sweet treats are made. The staff also offer samples of cookies or chocolate as well as coffee samples! There are a bunch of different collections varying from cookies, brownies, chocolate dipped, tropical fruit inspired, and other snacks. Some boxes of treats are decorated nicely to where you can give it to someone as a gift as is. Thanks Big Island Candies!

So, it's touristy, but who cares? The people here have lots of aloha, and the quality of the somewhat pricey products is fantastic. We bought a bag of the mini guava macadamia nut cookies, and they were fabulous. I dare you to each just one--or two--or three. It's fun to peruse the goods after tasting a sample, handed to you when you walk in. They also have 100% Kona coffee to sample (and buy, if you wish). You can indeed watch the whole candy and cookie operation in action through big windows, as everything is made right here. And while the stuff they sell isn't cheap, the snack bar is a relative bargain with a short list of inexpensive eats if you happen to need a quick meal while you're there. Lots of parking available. Won't take more than 20 minutes or so of your time unless you want to eat lunch or linger longer.

I have been a fan of Big Island Candies for over 10 years but aside from a shop in Honolulu, it's not something I can pick up on my annual trip to Maui. I have ordered a few times online but after awhile, that shipping cost makes it harder to do often. So, when I decided to spend some time in Hilo, I knew I had to stop by and stock up. It is a popular stop for tour buses so be prepared that you will have lots of company before long. Brownies, shortbread, manju, we got it all with the macadamia brownies my favorite. I got a chance to see the production line at work too including hand dipping those shortbreads, making me appreciate it that much more. Do check what their recommended consume after purchase time is on the back of the box as the manju doesn't last long while the shortbreads have the longest "shelf life". If it was longer, I definitely would've bought even more, but I still walked out of there with $100 worth for ourselves and omiyage for family. Don't sleep on those scoops either, that you will want to enjoy on a hot day.

We love this place SO MUCH. If we could, we would order from them for every single special occasion and every holiday. Unfortunately after moving away back to the Mainland, it's been difficult to keep up with our much needed "fix" of their shortbread cookies (any flavor, doesn't matter, it's all amazing) and beautiful decorative specially-designed boxes (it's a thing, trust me - they go the extra mile on this). Usually, we like to get at least one box for ourselves and some small holiday treat bags or boxes for our friends and family. Shortbread is always a priority; yet we'll throw in a brownie or a chocolate covered macadamia nut from time to time! Have not been in person except for outlet spots here and there, including on the Big Island, where we were warmly treated and made a great memory. Keep up everything wonderful that you do.

Big Island Candies is a must stop every time we come to the Big Island! The interior is done up so special for Chinese New Years. Lance went above and beyond making our experience special! Our favorites are the caramel chocolate dipped and the lemon white chocolate dipped. Can't go wrong with any of the options and makes for the perfect gift to bring home for friends and family.

Such a great place to be. Immediately when you walk in, you're greeted with free samples of their cookies and chocolates and then there's another sample of Kona coffee. I love their products, it's a really good gift for family and friends.

Large warehouse with attached store front. Friendly concierge servers who will kindly direct you to the candies and treats you're looking for. Many different styled boxes for every occasion and gender. Head to the back to watch the workers hand dip food items and see the care they put into their work.

I'm not particularly a person that indulges in candy, but.... WOW. This place has some seriously good candy and cookies. I will go as far to say, their shortbread cookies are the best I have ever had. We stopped here on December 18. The store was very busy. Employee said there was a lot of traffic because of the holiday season, but they had a really large parking lot for a candy store. The store had many festive decorations and they were offering free samples of cookies, candies and coffee. Employees were very friendly and helpful.

Fun and bustling place to take the family in Hilo. Plenty of parking, free samples of cookies/candy/coffee and clean restrooms. Lots of Japanese tourists, which I take to be a positive indicator of quality. Lots of variety in gift boxes and took one back to work. Very friendly service too. Enjoyed our visit here and would recommend!

We had a lot of fun here. We have a food allergy so we couldn't eat the shortbread but we could eat the ube pie crust manju. So good!!! We also bought palmiers This place has very cool insulated bags for sale which are a great souvenir. They're only 6 dollars! They're bags are perfect for picnics.

Chocolates, cookies, coffees and snacks galore! Big Island Candies does not disappoint. I was immediately greeted at the door with candies, cookies, and coffee. They were all so tasty. My favorites are the dipped shortbread cookies and brownies. I like that many of the items are already beautifully gift wrapped. The atmosphere is completely on the next level with decorative displays throughout the store. As you browse through the store take a minute to enjoy watching the handcrafted candies get made right in the store. I definitely recommend stopping by and picking up a snack or gift.

Amazing visit... for a simple chocolate factory! Treat upon entering the door? Tiny cup of coffee to balance that out, served with a smile? What is NOT to love? The store is built to be an *experience*! There is beautiful artwork among the candy box displays, which themselves are also works of art. There are giant glass windows where you can see the factory, and if we had come on a working day (it was Sunday), we would have understood what was happening because sections were labeled "dipping", "chocolate", etc. Shiny gold wrappers, different flavors and styles of chocolates, boxes which look like fish! The only thing I don't remember is if they had any music. I read the back-story and in short, it's fascinating, and no wonder that it has become an international stop for many visitors, especially the Japanese apparently, as this store has its focus on "omiyage", the Japanese tradition of gift giving.

I wasn't planning on buying anything, but who can resist a box of choc covered shortbread cookies? I bought a box for the office and one for the family. Always a nice token of appreciation. Prices have gone up, but what hasn't?! The staff is always so nice and welcoming too!

Fun! Samples! You can watch them make the goodies good variety of sweet and savory treats. It can be a little Pricey, but it's good stuff! Everyone is friendly and helpful. Just a happy ambiance.

They make the best lemon brownies I've ever had! I don't live in Hawaii but now I order them and they deliver!

This is a cookie/chocolate Shoppe with a viewing area to look at the factory floor. definitely a tourist trap. They do give samples, but only a small cookie piece at the front of a pre-specified type of cookie. Definitely would not recommend this place unless you were looking to buy chocolate dipped shortbread cookies or the like. Could be a good stop to buy something to take back to family or friends as a souvenir.

Nice shop, customer service is friendly and helpful. Cookies and other goodies are very good. Would highly recommend.

Ambiance I live for their displays & cute packaging !! Today I bought their beef hot dogs, pa'uwela sunrise ice cream, haupia ice cream, their new haupia Mac nut bark, the regular degular chocolate dipped shortbread cookies This place never disappoints. Service is always excellent.

4-5-23 they know how to reel you in with 2 bite size samples and complimentary gulp sized coffee. Their set up and packaging is enticing. I love the brown box with trio of different ingredient crunches. Also got a couple cinnamon palm leaves, ika(squid) with ends dipped in chocolate plus salt from Kona and more. We save their frequency card as hubs had several and earned a free tote bag and also a $10 reward- how fun!!! This is a must stop for sure when in Hilo even though there is one on our island.

Love the chocolate/cookie and coffee as you walk in. Big Island Candies has windows to the factory so you can see the workers doing their thing including hand dipping the shortbread cookies or actually pouring the chocolate into their cups to mold. Beautifully set up as a store, their marketing and presentation is impressive as are their prices. Tour buses come and go as this is a regular stop for groups.

The first time I got to the Big Island Candies factory it felt more homey. There used to be cute glass cookie holders and announcements for special Valentines day deliveries. Now the factory feels very sterile and impersonal. Yes - it is very clean and sanitary but it feels too much like a efficient business. The workers were courteous and very nice. You can find Big Island Candy Hello Kitty tee shirts here.

"Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you." ― Cookie Monster Big Island Candies is my favorite "candy" store in Hawaii. They sell more just candy, in fact their shortbread cookies dipped in dark chocolate does wonders to one's inner Cookie Monster! Nom nom! Okay, I admit you need to go just for those samples! I came with my bestie, Kyra K., and the sample were generous. A cookie each, small cup of chocolates, three sips of Ka'u Coffee each. Since bestie doesn't drink coffee I had six big sips! The employees are friendly, but never pushy. Open to questions and talk story! Candies, cookies, local snacks... and Ice cream! The displays are always a hit. For someone who used to work in visuals it's a joy seeing the pride put into their displays. Holiday themes are popular, like how we came in a week after Valentines, yet Year of the Rabbit - Lunar New Year was still the star! Girls Day (popular in Hawai'i) and Easter goodies now it! The only downer is we came off-peak hours, so the factory workers were seen nowhere on our visit. Rule of thumb is if you see tour busses you'll get the full operation. No complaints, as we had a nice stroll ooo and ahhh around the spacious store. I didn't purchase anything on this visit, but I did go to the Ala Moana location for Valentine treats for my bestie, my twin, my auntie, my cousin! Always makes one smile:) In the end, I recommend a stop at Big Island Candies if in Hilo. Nothing fancy, but a low-key, ten-minute visit (unless you see tour busses) with chill employees. The samples alone are worth a stop, huge parking lot, and very clean bright bathrooms if need be. We came on a rainy day and it was a nice break after a waterfall...

Very cool to see chocolate made. The lemon brownies are lemon bars, nothing brownie about them. Still a good stop on our trip for snacks

FREE SAMPLE AND DELICIOUS MICRO-COFFEE SHOTS ! KAWAII! Helpful tip, linger in the front and pound 3 micro-coffee shooters and you will then have enough caffeine to hunt and gather the correct selections out of 8000 varieties of shortbread .... (full sugar/ sugar-free/ dipped/ not dipped/ milk chocolate/ dark chocolate/ white chocolate/ coffee/ coconut / green tea....) Packed in beautiful gift boxes ? (more expensive) or standard packaging ? (better value). You'd need a mathematician to know exactly how many combinations are possible but I think 8000 is approximately correct. Then throw blows with Auntie trying to grab the last bag of chocolate dipped ika (squid). Kidding, just let her have it. You'll be just as happy with Mika Mints and Lilikoi Brownies. Sweet and Salty Snack Mix is amaaaazing ! Ok, truth, there's nothing at BIC I haven't enjoyed. And plenty of things I haven't tried yet, because I always buy the favorites I already know. I have never been here at Easter before and was BLOWN AWAY by beautiful pastel colored white chocolate enrobed macadamia nuts. LESSON LEARNED--- don't skip a holiday... Big Island Candies is not just for Christmas !

Must stop when visiting the Big Island. Best flavored macadamia cookie we have tried. The minute you enter you are greeted with the Aloha spirit and can feel the love of the Hawaiian people. They offer you a sample and there is a coffee bar with Kona coffee samples. Each cookie and chocolate is handmade to perfection with buttery shortbread cookie some dipped in chocolate some plain whichever you prefer. We always bring back a hand carry suitcase with these in them. Over the many years we have visited Big Island this is my most exciting stop. And they have clean nice restrooms which is not always easy to find when visiting Hilo. Cannot wait to return. They also have online orders. Our family Loves it here!!!

When you enter they let you have a sample of their coffee, cookie and chocolate. Oh my I couldn't help myself I ended up going back for seconds and they were so nice to allow it. My friend told me about this spot and I'm so glad I came here. The shortbread cookies were so delicious! The chocolate compliments the cookies so much. So much to choose from, they have the cutest gifts ever. They have shortbread cookies, chocolate, coffee, brownies, milk chocolate, dark chocolate. Just a lot of yummy things. I picked up a few shortbread cookies for home and they are just soooo goood!!! The bathroom and overall store was so clean and the people working here were very helpful. I highly recommend them. Tons of parking and tons of options to choose from.

Yummo just like Charlie and the chocolate factory heaven lol. Sampling tea chocolate cookies can't go wrong. Our Ohana tradition when we visit da big island Onolicious. Great customer service food is da bestest. Got treats for all our friends. Super cute packaging. Definitely coming back for ono treats. Arigato for being here.

Here's what you need to know. It's an absolutely beautiful and inviting store serving Hawaiian style treats. The cookies were amazing. The service was excellent. The brownies and Kona coffee were disappointing. We ended up buying ice cream for the kids (not made in house but partnered with a local creamery) and a box of macadamia nut chocolate covered brownies for ourselves. Unfortunately the latter was pretty bad, otherwise we would have definitely given them 5 stars. It is pricey but high quality confectionery.

Founded in 1977 in Hilo, HI, Big Island Candies' flagship store and factory is located on Hawaii Island though they have expanded by opening a retail store at the world's largest outdoor mall, Ala Moana Center on the island of Oahu. Not on either island? Mail ordering is your only other option. PRODUCTS: Their signature product is individually-wrapped, rectangular-shaped shortbread cookies in a handful of flavors, available plain or dipped in a variety of chocolate flavors. Other items include brownies, manju, biscotti, chocolate candies and ground coffee. THE GOODS: Macadamia Nut Shortbread - Milk Chocolate Dipped These are my favorite. The cookies are buttery, crunchy and diagonally-dipped in milk chocolate which is another signature design of theirs. Sold in small, medium and large boxes. Harumi's Hawaiian Salt Cookies A box of these were gifted to my mom by friends. Harumi Kurihara is a celebrity homemaker/television personality from Japan, often referred to as the "Martha Stewart of Japan". She collaborated with Big Island Candies and produced this beautifully-packaged giftbox of round, individually-wrapped shortbread cookies enhanced with sea salt. No only does the sea salt add extra crunch but does wonders on the palate. OVERALL: Worlds more flavorful than newcomer and imitator Honolulu Cookie Co..

Always such a treat, literally. Great spot to pick up gifts for yourself or others. The service and food is full of aloha and the ambiance is both clean and we organized

My new favorites are the coconut haupia and green tea dipped macadamia nut shortbread cookies. I've given this as my omiyage of choice every week since MM! Hope you keep it as regular items!!!

Fun place to shop. Staff were very helpful and nice. Loved watching the cookies get dipped and the time and effort it takes to make everything.

I haven't been here for years! Maybe decades... I don't remember this place being so big from the times I used to come growing up... they said they've been here in this gigantic factory since 1998(ish-I don't remember...). As you walk in, they greet you with samples of cookies and delicious coffee... as you browse through you'll find their traditional shortbread cookies and dipped cookies and also see palm leaves(cookies), manju, coffee, biscotti, tee shirts and even ice cream. (It's a great deal on ice cream cups with two scoops for $4.75.) Mango and cookies & cream were great!! You can see through big windows where they're meticulously preparing your deliciousness while you're enveloped in the sweet aroma of their bakery. If you're local, or feeling adventurous, you got to try the chocolate dipped cuttlefish. It's a local/Japanese thing ...trust me, it's good! If you like fish It's a must do when you're in Hilo

High quality service and island treats. Samples are plentiful from the kind employees, this included delicious Kona coffee. Yum! We walked away with several boxes to bring to the mainland to our loved ones.

The store is bigger on the outside than it is on the inside. The retail section is less than half of the total space and the rest is devoted to production. The store is clean and modern, but I don't think that they use their space in the most efficient way. The presentation of candies was not exactly what I expected. There were cookies, coated toffee, coated macadamia nuts (with both milk chocolate and dark chocolate covered nuts), and coated coffee beans. Everything is already wrapped and packaged. The prices seemed a bit high to me but I am not an expert. For example, $17 for 5.5 oz of chocolate covered macadamia nuts. I would say that if a person is looking for one stop shopping for gifts, this is the place.

The store front is beautifully decorated for Christmas and decorative boxes for the candy and cookies. The store was busy with tourist, some from cruise ships. I think I've seen this product in Costco on Oahu. There is viewing windows of the cookies and candy making process. They offer a variety of different treats in milk and dark chocolate. We purchased a bag of the dark chocolate Red Chili Toffee. Very yummy with a bit of heat. As all custom and specialty products you pay the price.

The store front is so welcoming. They greet you with a wonderful sample and some coffee. You can shop and watch as the cookies are dipped.

Just call this place.... "HEAVEN on EARTH"! This should sum it up. The ambiance as you stroll in the doors greeted by your first happy, smiley Angel handing you your delish sample, yum. Oh and coffee. The where do I start from here now mouthwatering wondering of the isles ahead. Ooooo, what to do what to do. You can observe the other Angels as they delicately gather and prepare the goodies for you to buy and take home and don't forget to share with the Ohana when you get home. You will be coming back I guarantee it. I do! Great people, all so smiley and helpful. Great products and lots of variety for everyone. They are the BESTEREST!!!!

We stopped by here and tried some of the best chocolate and coffee! I picked up some items for my family at home. The price is a little up there but it's worth it for a local business