Hawaiʻi’s value-added makers took the national stage at the 2026 Winter FancyFaire* in San Diego in January. Ten food entrepreneurs from Leeward Community College’s Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC) joined more than 700 brands from around the world to showcase specialty foods to more than 12,000 industry professionals.
The WVAPDC cohort, supported in partnership with the State of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s Hawaiʻi Made program, featured a diverse mix of products rooted in local ingredients from companies including Daguzan Charcuterie, Galleon Chocolate, Honobono, Madres Churros, Maui Cocktail Kits, Ohelo’s, Okonokai, Piko Provisions, This Lil Piggy and uCook Hawaiʻi.
Ready for national markets
This year marked the WVAPDC’s largest presence at the show, expanding from eight companies in 2025.
“That growth reflects increasing readiness among Hawaiʻi businesses to enter national markets,” said Chris Bailey, WVAPDC manager. On the show floor, that readiness translated into real demand.
“Our biggest takeaway was validating that there is strong, growing demand for food that is both deeply values-driven and genuinely delicious,” said Ethan West, founder of Piko Provisions, a baby and family foods company that incorporates crops indigenous to Hawaiʻi.
Piko Provisions debuted new Lūʻau Stew and Pitaya Bowl purées developed in close collaboration with the WVAPDC’s staff. The center also helped other entrepreneurs prepare for the trade show with group training sessions on everything from product sampling to booth design.
“These sessions were valuable to help us understand the process and what to expect,” said Sheryl Kahue, founder of uCook Hawaiʻi, a Honolulu-based sauce and marinade company.
Turning visibility into opportunity
For both West and Kahue, the experience opened doors to new buyer leads and potential partnerships with manufacturers and distributors.
“Participation means opportunity for growth, gaining confidence in ourselves and our products, and building relationships,” said Kahue. “A national show like this increases exposure and introduces our products to a new market.”
West added, “For a Hawaiʻi-based business, participating in a national trade show is an opportunity to represent our home, our farmers, and our communities on a global stage. It shows that Hawaiʻi is a place of production, leadership and thoughtful food systems.”
—By Devon Bedoya
