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Students from Kapiʻolani CC culinary program and Fukuoka Prefecture.
Kapiʻolani Community College culinary students and their peers from Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture took their latest creations out of the kitchen and directly to Hawaiʻi consumers as part of an international food innovation project.
The student teams presented three prototypes at the KCC Farmers Market in August. Each combines ingredients from Fukuoka and Hawaiʻi to create healthy products that reflect the flavors and agricultural resources of both places. Marketgoers sampled the creations and shared their reactions, giving students firsthand insight into consumer preferences.
Matcha Hawaiian Honey Granola Bar by the students of Kapiʻolani CC
The three products were:
Furikake Granola Bites
Matcha Hawaiian Honey Granola Bar
Amanatsu Aloha Confiture, a jam made with Japanese yellow citrus
“This experience has changed the way I think about developing food for people from different backgrounds, especially by considering what flavors and ingredients are meaningful to them,” said Kapiʻolani CC culinary student Kaydence Langness. “We hope to introduce our product to a wider audience, from international tourists to local people. Their feedback will help us better develop a product.”
Taking concepts to market
The Hawaiʻi portion builds on work that began earlier this summer in Fukuoka, where Kapiʻolani CC students collaborated with Japanese students to develop food concepts. The Fukuoka students traveled to Hawaiʻi in August, refining recipes before sharing them with the public.
Preparation of the amanatsu confiture, a jam made with Japanese yellow citrus.
At the farmers market, the teams gathered responses to flavor, aroma, texture and overall appeal and considered how the results could guide the next stage of development.
“This was a challenging experience for our students, and they really stepped up,” said Kapiʻolani CC culinary associate professor Lauren Tamamoto. “We want students to see that culinary careers go beyond the kitchen. Through experiences like this, they gain hands-on skills in product development, marketing and consumer research that prepare them for the many opportunities in today’s changing food industry.“
The collaboration is part of a three-year food innovation partnership between Kapiʻolani CC and the Fukuoka Prefectural Government.
—By Lisa Yamamoto