1. Chris Speere
March 5, 2016

2. Maui Food Innovation Center Goals
EDUCATION
FACILITY
SERVICE
EDUCATION
Credit and Non-credit
Workshops
Internships
The Maui Food Innovation Center (MFIC) is a business incubator designed to support local food producers through education and training, business incubation services, and research and development of food products.
In 2011, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature provided an initial appropriation of $1.225 million to develop a value-added food production facility in a former campus kitchen facility at University of Hawaii Maui College. This was in response to a collaborative request by the Maui Farm Bureau, Hawaii Agriculture Foundation, and UHMC to make such a facility available on Maui.
To respond to the needs of the ag and food business sectors, our facility needed to be able to provide not just the space and equipment, but the education, training, and services that would help value-added businesses succeed. The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) has demonstrated that with this kind of support, which focuses on industry best practices, the success rate changes dramatically, from 44% survival to 87% survival (within 5 years).
SERVICE
Consultations
Partner Referrals
Resources (website, etc.)
FACILITY
Community Access
Research & Development
Specialized production

3. MFIC – Connecting Stakeholders
The MFIC will serve as a hub for a variety of businesses, services, and organizations. By connecting producers, wholesalers, suppliers, retailers and consumers, we forge the missing link needed to support a thriving local food industry.
What we can do immediately is begin building our service as an “aggregator of information.” If a food business client comes to us with a question or problem, we should be able to help them find the resources that can assist them. This is, in fact, a major service, saving clients hours of time. Our goal here is not to duplicate services offered elsewhere, but build and maintain the web that links them together.

4. MFIC Evolution
2012
USDA Rural Development Feasibility Study & initial plan for MFIC
UHMC received over $500,000 through a US Dept of Labor workforce development grant for training courses in food manufacturing.
2014/2015
State Legislature provided $2.7 million to complete and equip MFIC
MFIC Courses available online as non-credit offering
2016
Laulima research kitchen underway
Maui Accelerator Program launched in January 2016
The project evolved into the plan for a food innovation center as part of a 2012 USDA Rural Development Feasibility Study based on community input, prepared by industry consultant Lou Cooperhouse and his firm, Food Spectrum, Inc.
In 2012, UHMC received funding from the U.S. Dept. of Labor Trade Adjustment Act grant (part of a $12.7 million workforce training grant) to offer education and training courses in food manufacturing. The courses were launched in May 2014 and in July those became fully available online.
In June 2014, the State Legislature provided an additional $2.7 million to complete and equip the facility. That process is now underway.

5. Joseph & Josephine's

6. Maui Accelerator Program (MAP)
Food-industry business accelerator program based on Maui
Business incubator geared towards the food industry
Cohort 1 and 2 trainings currently underway for Spring 2016
Native Hawaiian, women & minority business owners encouraged to apply.
Allows local Maui value-added food and agriculture entrepreneurs the opportunity to participate in a business incubator activity geared towards the food industry.
A cohort training model is currently being used to create a supportive community of fellow food entrepreneurs with added exposure to a diverse group of organizations and agents who can help them succeed.
Between January and July 2016, MAP is conducting two 8-week cohorts of participants each. The cohorts receive training in food safety, best manufacturing practices, industry trends, business planning, marketing, nutritional analysis, packaging, financing for business and export regulations.
Native Hawaiian, women and minority business owners are encouraged to apply.

7. MAP – Perfecting the “Pitch”
Cohort 1 Pitch presentation practice

8. Laulima Research Kitchen – Phase 1
MFIC at UHMC Campus
Laulima Research Kitchen – Phase 1
Pilina Manufacturing Facility – Phase 2
In the interim, we have secured a kitchen classroom next door on the UHMC campus in the Laulima Building. This is a commercial kitchen which will be used for training and public workshops. We are upgrading some of the equipment, procuring secure storage, and intend to offer the first workshops in Spring 2016, maybe sooner.
1600 Sq. Ft. Research
Kitchen, Commercially Certified - Feb 2016
4000 Sq. Ft. Renovated, USDA/FDA Inspected Manufacturing Facility (in development)

9. MFIC Partners & Sponsors

10. Challenges & Opportunities
UHCC Food Business Incubation Network (Food BIN)
Funding potentials between public and private sectors
How can we foster cross-campus support for food innovation?
How can other campuses get involved with the MFIC?
What are the benefits to our individual campuses and communities by developing these programs?
Susan Wyche submitted a proposal for the UHCC FOOD BIN as an RCUH Project Development Initiative in January 2016
UHCC Food Business Incubation Network (Food BIN): Need identified to aggregate food incubation programs across the state and create a network of resources to efficiently meet the diverse needs of clientele.
Potential for incubator programming to attract significant capital and operational funding (public and private) as they stimulate knowledge and technology transfer among students and faculty, small- and medium-sized organizations, and within both domestic and international corporations.

11. Mahalo Nui Loa! Presented by:
Chris Speere, Maui Food Innovation Center Site Coordinator & Food Innovation Specialist
Office: (808)
You will need to add an acknowledgement slide at the end, as much of this information was developed with support from a variety of funding agencies and by other people than the presenter. I think we could say something like: "Information in this presentation was prepared with the support of grant funding from (and then list all the agencies--USDA Rural Development, USDOL/ETA, SBA, and HSDC) and contributions by Lou Cooperhouse of Food Spectrum, Inc., Susan Wyche, and Andrea De Roode (and anyone else who provides content who is not listed on the title slide (Chris is the presenter, so he is the one making the acknowledgements). This "Acknowledgements" slide can then easily be updated in the future.
This presentation was prepared with funding from the USDA Rural Development, the US Dept. of Labor, the Small Business Administration and the Hawai`i Strategic Development Corporation, and by contributions made by Lou Cooperhouse of Food Spectrum, LLC., Susan Wyche and Andrea de Roode of UH-Maui College