Groundbreaking Marks Major Step for Hawai‘i’s Local Food Economy

ADC staff smile for a group photo. Photo courtesy: DBEDT.

A major step toward strengthening Hawai‘i’s food security and agricultural innovation was taken on Nov. 14 as the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) broke ground on the Central O‘ahu Agriculture and Food Hub in Whitmore Village, Wahiawā.

The groundbreaking ceremony featured remarks from First Lady Jaime Kanani Green, Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, DBEDT Deputy Director Dane Wicker and ADC Executive Director Wendy Gady. The event was blessed by Kahu Blaine Kamalani Kia.

The complex will serve as a commercial-scale innovation center, providing food manufacturing and industry services to help local entrepreneurs grow and export their products globally. It is a collaborative effort involving DBEDT, ADC, Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE), Department of Law Enforcement, the University of Hawai‘i (UH) College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, UH Community College System and Department of Accounting and General Services.

A key component of the project is the Central O‘ahu Regional Kitchen, being developed by HIDOE. This facility will support the state’s farm-to-school initiative by connecting local farms to school cafeterias and serving as a model for regional food hubs statewide.

“This is how we fulfill the vision of feeding our keiki — nourishing bodies, empowering communities and building resilience from the ground up,” said First Lady Green.

“This facility is a turning point for Hawai‘i’s agricultural future,” said ADC Board Chair Jayson Watts. “It gives our farmers and local food producers the infrastructure they’ve asked for — real tools that strengthen production, expand markets and keep local food on local tables. Projects like this only happen when the entire agricultural community works together and this groundbreaking shows what partnerships can accomplish. As chair of the ADC board, my focus is simple: get shovels in the ground, build systems that work for farmers and move Hawai‘i toward a resilient, self-reliant food economy. This is the foundation for the next generation of agriculture — and we’re just getting started.”

The project honors the legacy of the late Jimmy Nakatani, former ADC executive director, whose vision helped inspire the broader Food and Product Innovation Network — a statewide initiative to revitalize rural communities and support local food producers.