Summary: The Agri-Hawaii Team helps start-up and emerging brands with their needs with manufacturing. They may want to start with a commercial kitchen first to create the concept, get into market locally (farmer’s markets, e-commerce, local retailers) or work with a co-packer/contract manufacturer. We have extensive experience on both subjects.
We are co-founders of the new Commercial Kitchens Association (www.CommercialKitchens.org) and are completely experienced with working with commercial kitchens nationwide.
We have three of the top websites that talk about co-packing including our main one, Co-Packing.net! Co-Packing.net (www.Co-Packing.net) works with clients of all sizes with the creation of their brands.
Definition: A Commercial Kitchen (Culinary Kitchen, Shared Kitchen, Kitchen Incubator, Food Innovation Center) is a fully stocked prepatory kitchen created for shared-use. Culinary entrepreneurs can rent by the hour or block of time in order to commercially produce food products.
From the Kansas State Department of Agriculture “Commercial Kitchens are food facilities that have multiple users that can be a good resource for small food business startups. The overhead costs of using an incubator kitchen can be much lower than renovating, building, or renting a facility. Many incubator kitchens also have commercial equipment that might be cost prohibitive for a small startup. For “cottage food” (foods made at home for sale directly to the end consumer) businesses, the incubator kitchen provides a separation from personal use kitchens”.
- Commercial Kitchens can be a non-profit or for-profit operation
- Commercial Kitchens sometimes have a waiting list due to lack of capacity
- Commercial Kitchens are sometimes an ideal place to be educated in cooking or baking
- Some Commercial Kitchens have extended services (mentoring, sales efforts, etc) while most do not
- A Food Innovation Center is usually associated with a college or an incubator
There are a few commercial kitchens available in Hawaii to work with. These include:
OAHU
First Commercial Kitchen
94-538 Puahi St,
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 676-0880
www.firstcommercialkitchenllc.com
REH Commercial Kitchen Rental
1818 Kanakanui St,
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 497-6004
www.restaurantequipmenthawaii.com/commissary-kitchen
Pacific Gateway Center
723-C Umi St,
Honolulu, HI 96801
(808) 851-7000
www.pacificgatewaycenter.org
ZUMAI CERTIFIED KITCHENS
78 N. Pauahi Street,
Honolulu, HI 96817
MAUI
Maui Food Innovation Center
University of Hawaiʻi Maui College
310 Ka’ahumanu Ave
Kahului, HI 96732-1617
(808)984-3420
www.maui.hawaii.edu/foodinnovation/
HAWAII
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen
57 MAMO STREET,
HILO, HI 96720
808-933-1000
www.hilofarmersmarket.com
Kona Joe Coffee
79-7346 Mamalahoa Hwy,
Kealakekua, HI 96750
(808) 322-2100
www.konajoe.com/
Big Island Wellness Solutions
615 Haihai St.
Hilo, HI 96720
808-217-6401
www.biws808.wixsite.com
bigislandwellnessbiws808@gmail.com
Island of Hawaii YMCA
300 W Lanikaula St,
Hilo, HI 96720
808-935-3721
www.Islandofhawaiiymca.org
The Lemonaders / Agri-Hawaii Team is available to help start-up, emerging and established brands with their product creation and launch needs. We have our own industry website about co-packing (www.Co-Packing.net) that is available to Hawaiian Brands. Our main industry resource site, Lemonaders (www.Lemonaders.com) helps answer many industry questions for both brands and manufacturers.
Conceiving a Concept
Food, Beverage, Snack and Consumer Entrepreneurs have a basic idea in the beginning and usually need guidance and help in flushing the idea into a practical product to get created then launched.
Creating a Concept
In partnership with an incubator (kitchen incubator, commercial kitchen) the Lemonaders team becomes an extension for help in subjects relating to their client’s needs.
- The team is available to help Hawaiian based brands grow by finding and working with a contract manufacturer on the Mainland to make it easier for them.
The Launch of a Product
Once a product is created the Lemonaders team can add invaluable help with the launch of the product. We have offices in the West (Las Vegas, NV) and in the East (Greensboro, NC). The team can also advise and help with international markets.
- We also have a partnering sales group in Hawaii to help launch into all islands.