Scholarship applications open for Cohort 7 of HACA’s value-added entrepreneur program

Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance (HACA) announced that applications are now open for Cohort 7 of the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship, a workforce and business development initiative designed to help Hawaiʻi’s value-added food entrepreneurs expand from small-batch production to commercial success.

The scholarship supports local manufacturers who rely on Hawaiʻi-sourced ingredients—grown, raised, or caught in the islands—and are ready to take their products to the next level. Applications are open now through Dec. 31, 2025. 

Delivered in partnership with Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) and the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC), the program selects 15 entrepreneurs per cohort to participate in Leeward CC’s 12-week ‘Āina to Mākekecourse. The curriculum provides practical guidance in the areas that most often determine whether a food business can scale—licensing and regulations, commercial kitchen operations, branding, packaging, sales, and distribution.

HACA’s scholarship provides accepted applicants with $1,000 toward the $1,500 tuition for the 12-week online program—participants are responsible for the remaining $500 course fee. Cohort 7 will run from Feb. 9 to April 29, 2026, with classes held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. In addition to the online training, cohort members join a growing network of local food manufacturers and can gain access to the WVAPDC, a state-of-the-art facility where producers can increase volume, improve consistency, enhance efficiency, and explore new or improve upon their product lines.

Beyond individual business growth, the scholarship also advances a larger statewide strategy to grow Hawai‘i’s value-added food ecosystem, anchored by the Whitmore Village Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub and the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center.

State leaders, including Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, have emphasized that value-added production is essential to strengthening Hawaiʻi agriculture by helping farmers turn locally grown ingredients—including surplus or off-grade crops—into shelf-ready products, while building new jobs and keeping food dollars circulating in local communities.

The ‘Āina to Mākeke program and WVAPDC are cornerstones of that vision, giving entrepreneurs the technical training and production pathway needed to scale Hawaiʻi-made products for local and external markets.

Since launching in 2023, the scholarship’s reach has expanded statewide. To date, 89 entrepreneurs across five Hawaiian Islands have successfully completed the program with scholarships provided by HACA, and outcomes show rapid marketplace traction: more than one-third of alumni landed retail accounts after completing the program, moving from cottage production into stores across Hawai‘i.

Alumni products can now be found in major retailers including 7-Eleven, ChefZone, Costco, Foodland, ABC Stores, Down to Earth, Farm Link Hawai‘i, and more.

Alumni of the program have also gone on to showcase their brands at high-profile industry and consumer events, including Made in Hawai‘i, the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, and—most recently—through the Kamehameha Schools Presents Food Innovation Marketplace at the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival’s inaugural FEAST Summit, where 25 alumni businesses showcased their products to more than 700 industry professionals, expanding their visibility and opening doors to new markets and partnerships.

“Every cohort reminds us how much talent and ingenuity exists in Hawai‘i’s food community,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance. “When we invest in local producers, we strengthen our agricultural economy, keep value-added dollars in Hawai‘i, and help entrepreneurs build businesses that can thrive here and beyond.”

Prospective applicants and community partners are invited to learn more at a virtual info session on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, from 5-6 p.m. Program details, eligibility requirements, and online application are available at www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com/cottageindustry. Support for the Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship is provided by the State of Hawai‘i.