Fifteen local businesses join a growing statewide network transforming Hawaii-grown, raised, and caught ingredients into market-ready products
HONOLULU, HI (June 30, 2026)—Hawaii Ag & Culinary Alliance (HACA) is proud to announce the 15 entrepreneurs selected for Cohort 8 of the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship, continuing its investment in Hawaii’s growing value-added food economy by helping local food businesses transform Hawaiʻi-grown, raised, and caught ingredients into commercially successful products.
Offered in partnership with Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) and the Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC), the program is part of a growing statewide effort to strengthen Hawaii’s food innovation ecosystem by helping entrepreneurs move from concept to commercialization. Through Leeward CC’s 12-week Aina to Mākeke course, participants receive practical training in licensing and regulations, commercial kitchen operations, branding, packaging, sales, distribution, and food business management before presenting their products to retail and wholesale buyers during a culminating product showcase. Participants also gain access to the Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center, where they can increase production capacity, improve efficiencies, and prepare their products for broader commercial markets.
Representing businesses from Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Kauai, Cohort 8 reflects the breadth of Hawaii’s value-added food sector—from artisan baked goods, beverages, specialty foods, and sauces to fresh food products and innovative consumer packaged goods. While each entrepreneur brings a unique product and story, they share a common commitment to creating value-added products that strengthen Hawaii’s agricultural economy.
“HACA’s program was developed to ensure that as food businesses grow, our farmers, ranchers, and fishermen grow with them,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of Hawaii Ag & Culinary Alliance. “By requiring entrepreneurs to use locally grown, caught, and raised ingredients, we strengthen connections across Hawaii’s entire food system and build steady demand for local production.”
The 15 selected entrepreneurs who began in Cohort 8 earlier this month include: Kapono Aluli-Souza, Kinolau Foods; Grace Chung, PACIFIKOOL; Mabelle Denuna, Mabuhaylicious; Juliana Dias Franca, Hapa Greens; Matthew Hawes, Fat Lip Juice Company; Ryan Josephs, Our Handmade Home; Kristine Kane, The Agua Babe; Janell Kuamoo, 808 Greens N Things; Ammon Levenson, A-Team Treats; Tara Lumford, Hawaii Cupcake Factory; Tristan Malama, Kalo Craves LLC; Valerie Melle, The Apiary in Poipu; Cherub Silverstein, Sweet Cane Cafe; Pieter Vliet, Ohia Bakery, LLC; and Stacey Weckstein, Frequency LLC.
Since launching in 2023, the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship has become one of Hawaii’s leading entrepreneurship and workforce development initiatives supporting value-added food manufacturers. By the end of 2026, HACA will have awarded more than $104,000 in scholarships to approximately 120 entrepreneurs across six Hawaiian Islands, helping build a stronger pipeline of Hawaii-based food businesses.
The program’s impact extends well beyond the classroom. Alumni have secured placement in retailers including Foodland, Costco, ChefZone, CU Hawaii, ABC Stores, Down to Earth, Farm Link Hawaii, and 7-Eleven, while others have showcased their products at the Made in Hawaii Festival, the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas and San Diego, and FOODEX Japan 2026—creating new opportunities to connect with buyers, distributors, chefs, and investors while expanding the reach of Hawaiʻi-made products.
The announcement also reflects HACA’s growing role in Hawaiʻi’s food innovation ecosystem. Earlier this month, the organization joined nearly 20 public and private sector partners in formalizing the Food & Product Innovation Network (FPIN)—a statewide collaboration designed to strengthen the pathway from product development to commercialization through education, shared infrastructure, technical expertise, financing opportunities, and market connections.
“When we invest in value-added products, agriculture becomes more than a raw commodity—it becomes an export-ready industry with real economic impact,” said Yamaguchi. “As these companies expand into national and global markets, they increase local purchasing, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen Hawaii’s long-term economic resilience.”
For more information about the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship and future cohort schedules, please visit www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/cottageindustry. Support for the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship is provided by the State of Hawaii.
For Press & Media inquiries, please contact:
Kristen Lau-Grover, Sr. Director of Marketing & PR | [email protected] or 808-721-1849
ABOUT HAWAII AG & CULINARY ALLIANCE
The Hawaii Ag & Culinary Alliance (HACA) is dedicated to forging a vibrant link between our world-class culinary events and the advancement of culinary education, from community colleges to four-year universities. Founded in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, HACA’s mission is to elevate Hawaii’s culinary and agricultural sectors, enriching both the visitor industry and local community. HACA’s signature program, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival®, continues to be recognized as the premier culinary destination event of the Pacific, showcasing Hawaii’s extraordinary culinary talent and locally-grown products while giving back to the community. Since its inception, HACA has donated more than $5.3 million to local organizations that support culinary and agriculture education, sustainability and cultural initiatives. Today, HACA is proud to support a range of workforce development programs designed to foster growth and opportunity within the culinary and hospitality industries including the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship, CIP x CIA Workforce Development Scholarship Fund, Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund. For more information, visit www.HFWF.me, follow us on Instagram @HIAgCulinaryAlliance and @HIFoodWineFest.
ABOUT LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
As part of the University of Hawai‘i system, Leeward Community College provides an environment for academic learning and a center of cultural life for neighboring communities. With a main campus in Pearl City and an educational center in Wai‘anae, and the Wahiawā Value-Added product Development Center, Leeward Community College’s proven commitment to affordable, quality education is the foundation of its mission. From professional career studies to liberal arts, the College offers diverse and comprehensive opportunities for all students.
For more information, visit www.leeward.hawaii.edu, follow @Leewardcc on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or contact Tad Saiki, Marketing Officer, at [email protected]. For information about the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, contact Chris Bailey at [email protected].