OUR PROGRAMS
Recipe For Success:
Commercial Kitchen Incubator Program
Kitchen Incubator Workshop Series
With generous support from Koi Pond Bridges, The Atherton Family Foundation, and Hawai‘i Community Foundation - West Hawai‘i Fund, we’ve launched a FREE program entitled Recipe For Success, from September, 2025 to June, 2026 to support local food entrepreneurs in building successful food businesses. Led by local experts, the workshop series will cover:
Regulatory compliance & permits
Product development
Branding & marketing
Budgeting & business planning
Hands-on kitchen training
One-on-one mentorship
Whether you're just getting started or ready to grow, this is your opportunity to gain expert support and practical skills!
Workshop Recordings
Workshop 1: Agribusiness Foundation & Development
Workshop 2: Business Planning Foundations
Workshop 3: Financial Planning & Budget Management
Workshop 4: Value-Added Product Development
Workshop 5: Catering & Private Cheffing
Workshop Calendar
Recipe for Success - 7 Workshops for Starting & Scaling a Food Business
Workshop 1: Agribusiness Foundation & Development
Presenters: Anthony Florig (Hoʻōla Farms), & Travis Travers (Kohala Food Hub)
Date: September 27th, 2025 · 1-3pm
Description: Master the fundamentals of starting a food business, navigate DOH permits and regulatory compliance, and understand cottage food operations and business structures.
Workshop 2: Business Planning Foundations
Presenters: Erik Shimizu & Alyssa Lee (GoFarm Hawaiʻi)
Date: October 18th, 2025 · 1-3pm
Description: Develop comprehensive business plans using SWOT analysis, market research, and competitive landscape assessment with hands-on planning tools.
Workshop 3: Financial Planning & Budget Management
Presenter: Erik Shimizu (GoFarm Hawaiʻi)
Date: November 22nd, 2025 · 1-3pm
Description: Learn cash flow projections, pricing strategies, break-even analysis, and funding sources with interactive financial modeling exercises.
Workshop 4: Value-Added Product Development
Presenters: Kailin Kim & Kai Hudgins (Hoʻōla Honey), & Benjamin Lillibridge (Mālama Mushrooms)
Date: January 17th, 2026 · 1-3pm
Description: Discover opportunities for value-added food and beverage products, explore packaging solutions, optimize process flow, and learn from successful local producers about scaling production.
Workshop 5: Catering & Private Cheffing
Presenters: Chef Dray Wilson (Private Chef)
Date: February 21st, 2026 · 1-3pm
Description: Learn culinary operations & principles, menu development, kitchen management, compliance & regulation for local markets, catering 101, and hospitality principles for culinary and catering businesses.
Workshop 6: Marketing Your Food Business
Presenters: Katie Neil (Ho'ōla Farms)
Date: May 2nd, 2026 · 1-3pm, Location TBD
Description: Learn practical strategies to promote your food business, attract customers, and grow your presence online and locally.
Workshop 7: Scaling & Growth Strategies
Presenters: Chris Sandy (Hawaiian Ethos, ‘Ōla Brew) & Andrew Trump (Island Harvest)
Date: May 30th, 2026 · 1-3pm, Location TBD
Description: Explore how to scale your food business sustainably, streamline operations, increase revenue, and prepare for long-term growth and expansion opportunities.
Meet our Guest Educators
Alyssa Lee
AgBusiness Project Coordinator, GoFarm Hawaiʻi
Alyssa provides marketing training and consulting for GoFarm Hawaiʻi students and farmers statewide. A graduate of UH Mānoa and the GoFarm AgIncubator Program, she draws on her background in the food and beverage industry to help bring local products to the forefront of Hawaiʻi’s communities and markets.
Anthony Florig
Program Manager, Hawaiʻi Commercial Kitchens & Hoʻōla Farms
Anthony facilitates agriculture and business workshops with Hoʻōla Farms, supporting local farmers and value-added producers. He also manages Hawaiʻi Commercial Kitchens, providing free technical assistance, workshops, and resources to commercial kitchen facilities and food businesses in Hawaiʻi County.
Katie Neil
Director of Communications, Hoʻōla Farms
Katie leads communications at Hoʻōla Farms, combining her background in digital marketing with a passion for storytelling and impact-driven businesses. She supports local entrepreneurs in achieving their marketing and communication goals with creativity and strategy.
Erik Shimizu
AgBusiness Consultant, GoFarm Hawaiʻi
Erik provides training and consulting for GoFarm Hawaiʻi AgPro students and farmers across the state. A graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, he has worked in large CPA firms and businesses specializing in accounting, as well as a global professional services firm as a management consultant.
Kailin Kim and Kai Hudgins
Founders, Hoʻōla Honey
Kailin and Kai are the founders of Hoʻōla Honey, a Kānaka-owned beekeeping business in North Kohala. Since 2016, they have rescued over 200 bee colonies across Hawaiʻi Island, supporting local farms through natural pollination. Their honey blends incorporate lāʻau, nourishing families and advancing food sovereignty.
Chef Dray Wilson
Private Chef Chef
Chef Dray Wilson, born on Maui and raised on a coffee farm on the slopes of Hualālai, has a deep passion for transforming Hawai‘i grown ingredients into memorable culinary experiences. In 2010, he cooked alongside Jonathan Waxman and Ming Tsai, inspiring his pursuit of excellence and shaping his community centered cuisine sourced from local farmers and foraged across the islands.
Shannon
Island Style Grindz
Shannon, owner of Island Style Grindz, leads a family owned business that began as Kawaihae Kandyz in Hawi, Hawai‘i. Now operating as a mobile eatery traveling around the island, Island Style Grindz serves delicious local food rooted in comfort, quality ingredients, and genuine island hospitality.
Chris Sandy
Hawaiian Ethos, Hawaiian Ola
Chris Sandy is a lifelong entrepreneur who has held founder and executive management roles across software, medical devices, and consumer product ventures in Hawaiʻi. He has helped build brands including Hawaiian Ola (the progenitor to Ola Brew), Hawaiian Ethos, Laʻau Pono, and 3Dot Technologies, raising capital, leading teams, and bringing products to market. Today, he partners with these organizations and others as a consultant through his independent agency, Wana Creative.
Andrew Trump
Island Harvest
Andrew serves as Vice President of Island Harvest, an organic macadamia nut company managing over 150 acres in Kohala, Hawai'i. Founded by his father, James, in 1991, Island Harvest is now led by Andrew and his brother Nathan. Andrew spearheaded the launch and scaling of the company’s first line of retail product in 2021 and has since continued to oversee the brand’s growth and operations.