NEWS RELEASE: DBEDT Hawai’i Made Pavilion to Showcase Nearly 30 Local Businesses at 2026 Made in Hawai’i Festival
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM
KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI
JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA
DIRECTOR
KA LUNA HOʻOKELE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT DIVISION
DENNIS T. LING
ADMINISTRATOR
DBEDT HAWAIʻI MADE PAVILION TO SHOWCASE NEARLY 30 LOCAL BUSINESSES AT 2026 MADE IN HAWAIʻI FESTIVAL
State Returns as Official Government Sponsor with Expanded Role in Selecting New and Early-Stage Companies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2026
HONOLULU – The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism will return as the official government sponsor of the 32nd annual Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, August 20-23 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, where 28 local businesses are scheduled to participate in the DBEDT Hawaiʻi Made Pavilion.
Following the pavilion’s debut in 2025, DBEDT is continuing its focus on helping new and early-stage companies reach customers at one of the state’s largest retail events. This year’s 20-booth pavilion will feature entrepreneurs from Leeward Community College’s ʻĀina to Mākeke food business accelerator program and Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, businesses connected through the Food and Product Innovation Network and youth-, women- and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses from all four counties.
“Major retail events like the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival give small businesses access to customers and sales experience that are difficult to gain on their own,” said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. “The Hawaiʻi Made Pavilion gives new and early-stage companies an opportunity to test demand, build a customer base and prepare for larger retail opportunities.”
The ʻĀina to Mākeke program helps food entrepreneurs turn home recipes into market-ready products through training in product development, pricing, branding and commercial growth.
“Participants put months of work into developing products that are ready for the market,” said Chris Bailey, manager of the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center. “The festival gives graduates a chance to sell in a high-traffic setting, hear directly from customers and strengthen how they present their products.”
Businesses scheduled to participate in the 2026 DBEDT Hawaiʻi Made Pavilion include:
Leeward Community College/Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center ʻĀina to Mākeke graduates:
- Da Tomato Guy
- Daguzan Charcuterie
- Good Boy
- Haleiwa Salt Co.
- Honolulu Mochi
- Kenny Boy Ice Cream
- Makamaka Snacks
- Mochi Momma
- Okonokai
- Shaka Butter
Other DBEDT Hawaiʻi Made Pavilion businesses:
- Aloha ‘Oe Designs
- Aloha Paws Kaua‘i
- Besdee Dog Co.
- Black Rose Aesthetics
- Definitely Baba
- Ele Kauai
- Holoholo Gold
- Island Scents of Aloha
- Kanoelani’s Finest Designs
- Kolohe Boyz
- Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown
- Mahea Leah
- Mahi‘ai Made
- Maikui’s Creations
- Mimi’s Made
- Paradise Preserved
- Pu‘uwai Pai‘i‘ai
- Schorr Design
The 2026 Made in Hawaiʻi Festival will feature more than 800 vendor booths across nearly 300,000 square feet, along with live entertainment, chef demonstrations, fashion shows, tastings and other programming. Festival hours and ticket information are available on the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival website.
About the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT is Hawai‘i’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, as well as foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawai‘i economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawai‘i’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments and promotes innovation-sector job growth.
About Hawaiʻi Made
DBEDT’s Hawaiʻi Made program supports local business and entrepreneurship by recognizing and promoting goods and services that are authentically made in Hawaiʻi. The program helps to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s economy by building consumer trust and providing a platform for local businesses to showcase their products and foster a strong sense of local identity.
About Leeward Community College/Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center
As part of the University of Hawai‘i system, Leeward Community College provides an environment for academic learning and cultural life for neighboring communities. With a main campus in Pearl City, an educational center in Wai‘anae and the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, Leeward Community College’s proven commitment to affordable, quality education is the foundation of its mission. From professional career studies to liberal arts, the college offers diverse and comprehensive opportunities for all students.
About the Food and Product Innovation Network
The Food and Product Innovation Network brings together business partners and support organizations from across the state that contribute to agricultural innovation, value-added manufacturing, entrepreneurship, workforce development and food system resilience. Established through Act 237, FPIN provides a forum for expanding partnerships between government and industry across Hawaiʻi.
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