Annual alcohol-free event goes virtual as fundraiser for Kokua Ag & Culinary Fund
HONOLULU (October 10, 2020) – Mixed, shaken, stirred and alcohol-free! DTRIC Insurance Presents Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails is reimagined as a virtual event for 2020 in partnership with the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival. Grab your mocktail kits and join Hawai‘i’s favorite drink artists for pau hana on Thursday, November 5.
The Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails campaign encourages responsible alcohol consumption and service with alcohol-free cocktails that provide tasty drink options for designated drivers. This year it also serves as a fundraiser to benefit the Kokua Ag & Culinary Fund, which support programs that will help our agricultural, culinary and hospitality industries, and their employees, that have been widely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Restaurant leaders really embraced this unique campaign from day one, and with this difficult year it was important for DTRIC to show our support for this vital island industry,” said Michele Saito, president and chief executive officer of DTRIC Insurance. “We’re proud to partner with Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival for a new twist on one of our most important community initiatives to prevent drunk driving, encourage positive road behaviors, and keep our roads safe.”
Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails will feature custom creations by:
- Chandra Lucariello of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Hawaii
- Dave Newman of the former Pint & Jigger
- Kyle Reutner of Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum
- Gwen Whiting of Gin & Julep Cocktail Co.
The Honolulu mixologists will guide pau hana participants through the creation of their favorite mocktails, answering questions live along the way. Complementing the beverages, chef Jon Matsubara of FEAST in Mānoa will demonstrate how he prepares his famous Feast Lobster Roll and Birria Quesadilla.
“When the coronavirus shut down bars and restaurants this year, Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival launched the Kokua Ag & Culinary Fund to provide meals for over 600 laid-off restaurant and bar workers and their families,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival. “We are honored to partner with DTRIC Insurance to continue to provide relief to those in need and rebuild our economy for a more resilient and sustainable Hawai‘i.”
The $75 all-inclusive Mocktail & Meal kits will include:
- Two dishes created by chef Jon Matsubara of FEAST:
- Feast Lobster Roll with umami mayo, lemon and dill on a buttered Hawaiian sweet roll
- Birria Quesadilla made with barbacoa, cilantro and pasilla consume
- All of the drink ingredients
- Mocktails recipe cards
- Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails souvenir glass
- Access to the virtual pau hana
Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails kits can be purchased online at https://hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/events/dtric-insurance-presents-hawaiis-best-mocktails.
Alcohol is a major factor in traffic crashes. Based on data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,511 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2018 and alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 29 percent of all crash fatalities.
About DTRIC Insurance Company, Limited
Established in 1992, DTRIC Insurance Company, Ltd. offers personal lines of insurance including auto, homeowners, renters, and umbrella policies. It also provides a wide range of commercial lines of insurance including: general liability, property, and workers’ compensation. DTRIC is committed to providing its policyholders and agency partners with innovative, value-added insurance products and services, exclusive to the state of Hawaii, enabling one-on-one attention and personalized service. DTRIC is a member of Japan’s largest insurance holding company MS&AD Insurance Group. Learn more at www.dtric.com.
About Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival
The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival is the premier epicurean destination event in the Pacific. The Festival features a roster of more than 150 internationally renowned master chefs, culinary personalities, sommeliers, mixologists, and wine and spirit producers. Co-founded by two of Hawai‘i’s own James Beard Award-winning chefs, Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, the Festival showcases culinary experiences, wine tastings, cultural engagement and exclusive dining opportunities with dishes highlighting the State’s bounty of fresh, local produce, seafood, beef, poultry and spices. Since 2011, the festival has given nearly $3 million to support local beneficiaries committed to culinary and agricultural education, sustainability and cultural programs in Hawai‘i.
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