Kaimana Jerky is a family-run fish jerky brand rooted in Hawaii’s Big Island. Inspired by ancient Hawaiian tradition and the name “Kaimana,” meaning “the power of the sea,” the company has been lovingly handcrafting tuna jerky for over 25 years. Their jerky is made entirely on-site, caught, seasoned, dried, and packaged just miles from the ocean in a facility that rigorously follows FDA and Hawaii Department of Health standards.
Since its humble beginnings, experimenting with fish preservation in the 1980s, Kaimana Jerky has grown into a locally beloved brand. Committed to clean, natural ingredients, they produce jerky without MSG, nitrates, or artificial preservatives, using a preservative free soy sauce. Though their Marlin jerky was phased out of their online offerings due to conservation laws, Kaimana remains deeply connected to Hawaiian tradition, sustainability, and community, a bold, flavorful bridge between ancient preservation methods and modern snacking. This Kaimana Jerky brand is distributed under the same name as Kaimana Jerky, and it is located in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
The first review on Kaimana Jerky will focus on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their Kiawe Smoked Sea Salt flavored tuna jerky. This flavor is described as a specialty flavor delivering an unforgettable fusion of smoke and sea. The jerky was purchased online from Amazon.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Ahi Tuna, Soy Sauce (Water, Extract of Soy Bean, Wheat Flour, and Salt), Brown Sugar, Kiawe Smoked Sea Salt, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Ginger Powder, Organic Black Pepper, Organic Chili Flakes, Organic Sesame Oil. Allergen Warnings: Fish, Wheat, Soy, and Sesame
The wild caught ahi yellowfin tuna used here is caught in the Pacific Ocean and processed in the USA. Tuna offers many health benefits, including being high in omega 3 fatty acids, which are heart and brain healthy. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is Excellent (10/10).
The liquid marinade consists of a decent soy sauce, water, and super healthy organic sesame oil.
Some healthy ingredients added are organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, organic ginger powder, organic black pepper, and organic chili flakes.
The sugar level is very high at 12 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose rating. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or under per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is also high at 530mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. However, the salt level is ignored because healthy, unrefined kiawe smoked sea salt is used.
This jerky is confirmed as having no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this jerky has no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
KAIMANA JERKY – KIAWE SMOKED SEA SALT TUNA JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell fish. Not too strong, but noticeable. I don’t really smell anything else. The strips are medium in size and sliced rather thin. The jerky is soft and easy to chew, not exactly as our forefathers intended. There is an ever, so slight oily residue left on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste salt at a reasonably high level, next to no pepper, moderate sweetness, and almost no garlic. But I do definitely taste the tuna, it is rather prevalent. I can’t say I’m not enjoying it. It is decent, but my personal bias is that it should not be considered jerky, due to the fact that it is tuna. But that aside, it tastes better than many fish jerky, and is worthy of a 7ish/10, color me not very impressed.
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
This tuna jerky has a significant taste of soy sauce and saltiness. I don’t have an issue with it, and others may have a different perspective. The flavor of the tuna is still present, the fishy smell is moderate, and it is not a turnoff in any way.
Although this flavor stands on its own, I find it somewhat tastes halfway between a Teriyaki and a Korean BBQ flavor. I enjoyed this jerky, and I’d rate it a solid 8/10.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Kiawe Smoked Sea Salt yellowfin tuna jerky flavor from Kaimana Jerky: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the candid taste reviews. As a disclaimer, I am not a fan of seafood, which includes fish jerky. However, the fishiness taste is minimal with this jerky, which is a bonus from my perspective, but for the wrong reasons. As noted by Stéphane, the flavor is dominated by the soy sauce and saltiness/sweetness to a lesser extent.”
“I cannot say that I can detect the smokiness from the kiawe smoked sea salt. For the record, kiawe is also known as Hawaiian Mesquite. The overall flavor is somewhat well-balanced. The various spices added contribute to the flavor, albeit at faint to light levels, and the sweetness is not too much of a distraction. I can see Stéphane’s point that one may confuse this flavor with a teriyaki or Korean BBQ flavor with its sweetness and strong soy flavor. With Paul at a 7 and Stéphane and me at an 8, a Good (8/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2 ounce/56 gram bag of jerky sold online for $12.99. That works out to $6.50 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price.
Bag Review
This brown, resealable plastic bag has everything printed directly on the bag itself, including the front and back. The transparent window to view the jerky is cleverly shaped as a tuna. The word Kiawe is explained on the back, which translates to Mesquite.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Experience the Power of the Sea”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Handcrafted Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Jerky”, “18g Protein”, “Sustainably Caught”, “Good Source of Omega-3”, “Protein Packed”, Low Sugar”, “No MSG, No Nitrites/Nitrates”, “No Added Preservatives”, “Made Fresh on the Big Island of Hawaii”.
Some missing bag categories are a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stamp and an establishment number. A good blurb is printed on the back about Kaimana Jerky. You are encouraged to follow Kaimana Jerky on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok with their @kamainajerky social media handle. A QR code is printed on the back. To the credit of Kaimana Jerky, a phone number and email address are provided for customer inquiries.
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