About Us
For more than 30 years, the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival has served as the state’s premier showcase for locally made products, connecting thousands of residents and visitors with Hawaiʻi’s most innovative producers, artisans, and food and beverage companies.
What began as a platform to support local businesses has evolved into one of Hawaiʻi’s most anticipated annual events and a critical economic driver for hundreds of companies statewide.
Today, the festival attracts more than 70,000 highly engaged attendees and features over 600 carefully vetted exhibitors, reinforcing its reputation as the largest event of its kind in Hawaiʻi. Participation is limited to products that meet the State’s “Made in Hawaiʻi” requirements, ensuring authenticity while protecting the integrity of the marketplace.
The Made in Hawaiʻi Festival has become a proven business incubator, providing companies with a powerful venue to launch new products, expand brand awareness, and generate meaningful sales. Many participating businesses rely on the festival as a primary marketing and revenue opportunity each year, and exhibitor space regularly sells out — underscoring the festival’s position as Hawaiʻi’s premier marketplace for locally made goods.
Through chef demonstrations featuring exhibitor products, live entertainment from award-winning Hawaiʻi performers, and a thoughtfully curated shopping experience, the festival delivers a vibrant, distinctly local event that celebrates innovation, entrepreneurship, and community.
The 2026 Team
Hawaii Food Industry Association
Hawaii Food Industry Association (HFIA) is a non-profit organization led by a diverse board of directors consisting of some of the State of Hawaii’s most well respected executives and leaders. HFIA is dedicated to ensuring that Made in Hawaii businesses not only survive but thrive in today’s economy. The Made in Hawaii Festival is HFIA’s signature event which it has been producing since 1995. Our passion for this event is driven by our shared values. Since its inception, the Made in Hawaii Festival has helped countless Made in Hawaii businesses achieve success not only through strong sales during the festival but also by providing access to retail buyers that allow Made in Hawaii businesses to become sustainable year round. The Made in Hawaii Festival provides an opportunity for companies to market themselves to retail buyers, consumers and test-market new products. Over the years the event has become a business incubator helping businesses to test-market products at a low-cost to thousands of patrons. It is our pleasure and joy to continue this mission with the strong support of our government and our community.
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Tapiki
Tapiki is a Hawaii-based AI engineering partner dedicated to helping local businesses across the islands work smarter, not harder. Since 2009, we’ve had the privilege of serving over 100 clients. As your neighbor and technology partner, we understand the unique challenges Hawaii’s business landscape presents, and we’re committed to bringing practical, modern AI solutions to our community. We don’t just build technology; we build lasting relationships, helping island businesses thrive while staying true to the local values that make Hawaii special.
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Olena Heu
Olena Heu is a multi-award-winning journalist, local television personality and Miss Hawaii 2004. The Kauai native holds a BA and an MA in Communication with a concentration in Speech from Hawaii Pacific University, hosts a weekly show/podcast called Da Best Hawaii featured on Hawaiian TelCom and on Hawaiian Airlines.