The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism is partnering with this year’s Made in Hawaii Festival, which will take place from August 15 to 17 at the Hawaii Convention Center. The “DBEDT Hawaii Made Pavilion” will feature 27 local startups and small businesses. “We know how hard it is for small businesses to break into major retail events like the Made in Hawaii Festival – especially when you're just getting started,” said Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka. Exhibitors will showcase various products, including food and wellness items, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Leeward Community College’s Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center, the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, and the Maui Chamber of Commerce are partnering to support a group of entrepreneurs, including Native Hawaiian and women-owned businesses. Participating businesses include Aloha Mochi Company LLC, Shaka Tribe Design LLC, and Haleakala Creamery. Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center manager Chris Bailey stated, “This pavilion allows their hard work to shine,” in a news release from Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture’s Lisa Pakele said the event recognizes the role of local businesses in Hawaiʻi’s economy.
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Hawaii Made Pavilion aims to support local businesses and help them expand across the state. Pamela Tumpap, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, said the effort helps connect neighborhood businesses to the statewide market. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism considers the Made in Hawaii Festival part of its work in economic development, affordable housing, and business support. The full list of exhibitors will be posted online as the festival approaches.
