#Denise Yamaguchi

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. Applications are open now through Dec. 31, 2025. 

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation and Ulupono Initiative, has launched a Hele Imua Internship program to support Hawaiʻi’s agriculture industry.

The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival will exclusively source all limes and lemons used in its 2025 events from Mahi Pono as part of a continued effort to support local agriculture and promote sustainability in Hawai‘i’s food and beverage industry.

Two classmates from Maui Waena Intermediate took first and second place in the Grades 5–8 art category.

Applications are now open for Cohort 6 of Hawai’i Ag & Culinary Alliance’s Cottage Industry to Commercial Enterprise Scholarship—an initiative designed to help local value-added food entrepreneurs using Hawai‘i-sourced ingredients scale their businesses. 

Applications are now open for a state-funded program empowering Hawai‘i-based entrepreneurs to develop their food products from concept to business plan and pitch, providing tools to grow and scale their businesses.

With the return of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival to Kā‘anapali, Maui for its 14th annual festival coming this October, organizers reflected on last year and how they intend to support the island’s economic recovery in the aftermath of the 2023 wildfires.

The Maui portion of the 14th annual Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival is scheduled for Oct. 25-27 in Kaʻanapali, according to an announcement.

Approximately 1,200 restaurant, bar and hospitality workers have received one-time $1,000 disbursements from the Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund, according to an announcement from the Hawaiʻi Ag & Culinary Alliance.

“Taste Our Love For Maui” unites eight exceptionally talented chefs, each deeply connected to the island’s rich heritage for one-night only on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at Humble Market Kitchin by Roy Yamaguchi and Wailea Beach Resort.

The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival has donated $380,000 to various local organizations, bringing the Festival’s total giving to $3.5 million since its inception.

To celebrate National Ag Day on March 23, Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival and Kamehameha Schools are presenting a virtual Talk Story and Pau Hana featuring Hawai‘i organizations that are helping the community rise up during the COVID-19 pandemic through agriculture, education and culinary.

Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation’s “Localicious Hawaiʻi Art and Poetry Calendar Contest” for the 2020-2021 school year is now open for submissions from Nov. 1-30, 2020. The contest is presented by Hawaiʻi Gas and is open for students from grades K-8. Students are invited to submit original artwork or poem about their favorite dish made with locally grown, caught or raised products.

Fortunate foodies got a taste of greatness at Hawaiian Airlines Presents Lucky 7, which marked a milestone of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival on October 22.