{"id":242501,"date":"2026-10-21T10:09:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T20:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=242501"},"modified":"2026-10-21T10:09:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T20:09:54","slug":"leeward-food-makers-tokyo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/21\/leeward-food-makers-tokyo\/","title":{"rendered":"Leeward CC<\/abbr> propels food makers from Hawaiʻi to Tokyo"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Aina
Three ʻ\u0100ina<\/span> to M\u0101keke alumni showcased products at Tokyo International Gift Show.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Leeward Community College <\/a>is helping local food entrepreneurs turn homegrown products into global business opportunities.<\/p>\n

For Tatsuyoshi Omura, founder of ReBran, the journey began with granola made from upcycled rice bran. Just one year after launching, his products are sold at Foodland and Down to Earth. He also participated in his first Made in Hawaiʻi<\/span> Festival and pitched international buyers at the Tokyo International Gift Show alongside fellow Leeward CC<\/abbr> ʻ\u0100ina<\/span> to M\u0101keke alumni.<\/p>\n

“Leeward CC<\/abbr> and the Wahiaw\u0101 Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC<\/abbr>) have really opened up a world that I did not know much about before starting this business,” Omura said. “Selling ReBran in Japan no longer feels like just an idea. I came away with a stronger sense of how we can continue growing”<\/p>\n

Building businesses beyond Hawaiʻi<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Daguzan
Pierre Daguzan, founder of Daguzan Charcuterie, at the Daniel K. Akaka ALA<\/abbr> Hawaiʻi<\/span> Show<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Omura was among entrepreneurs supported by Leeward CC<\/abbr> and state partners during a series of trade shows. At the Daniel K. Akaka American Logistics Association Hawaiʻi<\/span> Show, 11 WVAPDC<\/abbr>-supported brands pitched to military buyers, while 20 program alumni exhibited at the Made in Hawaiʻi<\/span> Festival.<\/p>\n

Pierre Daguzan, founder of Daguzan Charcuterie, received feedback from military buyers about bringing his products into commissaries. At the Made in Hawaiʻi<\/span> Festival, he joined KTA<\/abbr> Super Stores President Derek Kurisu for a live demonstration featuring venison p\u00e2t\u00e9 musubi.<\/p>\n

“These events are not only about making sales for a few days; they introduce the brand to new customers who can continue supporting us afterward,” Daguzan said. “For a small company with ambitions to grow, having that ecosystem of support is extremely valuable.”<\/p>\n

Hawaiʻi<\/span> Grown to Global<\/h2>\n
\"ReBran
20 WVAPDC<\/abbr> makers exhibited at the Made in Hawaiʻi<\/span> Festival, including ReBran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Building on that momentum, Leeward CC<\/abbr> and the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Ag & Culinary Alliance are launching Hawaiʻi<\/span> Grown to Global on December 1. The 12-week export readiness program covers international regulations, labeling and logistics, culminating at FOODEX<\/abbr> Japan.<\/p>\n

“Entrepreneurs need stronger systems and reliable partnerships to meet the expectations of larger buyers without losing the quality and identity that made them successful,” said WVAPDC<\/abbr> Manager Chris Bailey. “Our goal is to help Hawaiʻi<\/span> entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, not simply launch products.”<\/p>\n

– by Devon Bedoya<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leeward CC<\/abbr> helps Hawaiʻi<\/span> food entrepreneurs expand their businesses through trade shows and export training.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":242508,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[734,65,71,1785,603],"class_list":["post-242501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-wahiawa-value-added-product-development-center","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t