Oʻahu native Erin Kanno Uehara, owner of Mānoa chocolate boutique Choco leʻa always knew she wanted to study at the University of Hawaiʻi.
“I didn’t even apply anywhere else,” she said. “I loved my family, I loved my friends, and I just knew UH Mānoa was where I wanted to be.”
But while her college choice was clear, her career path took a few turns. Uehara earned her bachelor’s degree in education in 2006 and spent a few years teaching before deciding to return to school to study business. In 2013, she completed her master of business administration at the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business.
“The MBA program challenged me in new ways,” she said. “It helped me figure out my strengths and realize I didn’t have to do everything alone. That teamwork mindset carried over into how I built Choco leʻa.”
Today, Uehara leads Choco leʻa rooted in community, creativity and collaboration.
“I always say chocolate is a universal language,” said Uehara. “People love it, they understand it, they crave it—and it’s been such a great way to connect with others. Some of the most special relationships in my life have been rekindled over sampling chocolate.”
A sweet partnership
Choco leʻa will return as an alumni vendor at the fourth annual UH Alumni Makers’ Market on August 6 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. This year, they’ll debut a brand-new product, designed by students from the UH Mānoa College of Engineering.
“The story of how we got involved with the College of Engineering is over one piece of chocolate,” Uehara said. “There was this one guy that would come in, he would buy one chocolate covered Oreo, and he would leave. We called him the Oreo guy.”
Eventually, Uehara introduced herself and discovered that the “Oreo guy” was Tyler Ray, an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. That friendly interaction led to an impactful collaboration. Since 2022, UH engineering students have been working directly with Choco leʻa to design custom chocolate molds, applying classroom knowledge to a real-world business.
Support from the College of Engineering
Knowing that Choco leʻa and other engineering alumni-owned businesses would be featured at this year’s Makers’ Market, UH Mānoa College of Engineering Dean Brennon Morioka was eager for the college to support as a sponsor.
“What we’re looking for this year at Maker’s Market is really the products that come out of collaborations with innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Morioka. “That’s one of the reasons why we’re so excited about our work with Choco leʻa, it really brings our experience with engineering education to life and getting a part of real world problems with real businesses.”
Morioka sees the Makers’ Market as more than just a celebration, it’s a reflection of the university’s lasting impact.
“I’m super proud about being an alum from the University of Hawaiʻi because I understand what the university means to our community, our businesses, and the economic vitality here in Hawaiʻi. Go ‘Bows!”
UH Alumni Makers’ Market 2025 tickets are available. General admission includes unlimited access to food and beverage stations.
