Maui Business Courses Focus on Food Industry Fundamentals

By Maui Now Staff

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College announced a new series of classes that are designed to help students launch or expand a locally-grown food business.

University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. File photo by Wendy Osher.

The Food Industry Fundamentals series features four classes that are presented as part of the campus’ EdVenture catalog of non-credit courses.

According to information compiled by the university the new series is designed for:

• farmers interested in developing food products to increase profitability,
• businesses that want to expand their food offerings,
• new food businesses, and
• employees wanting to increase their knowledge of the food industry.

“Food Industry Fundamentals will help participants understand the overall process better, but the classes will also offer information specific to Maui County. The goal is to support our local food producers so they can find new channels for their business, while providing more locally-grown products to consumers,” said Lou Cooperhouse, a consultant to the Maui Food Innovation Center in a University press release.

According to Cooperhouse, the courses pay special attention to opportunities and needs that are specific to Maui when launching a food business.

The Maui County Farm Bureau’s Mae Nakahata also commented saying the series provide an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to increase their bottom line, and increase self-sufficiency.

“We hope this provides another mechanism to keep our multi-generation farm families in business and foster new farm operations on Maui,” said Nakahata in a press release statement.

The series will be offered on April 29 and 30, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kahului campus.

Classes cost $89 for each seminar, or $300 for the series, and can be taken in order over a two-day period, or as a single course if preferred.