Aloha! Welcome to our new website.

Students and faculty from Kapi‘olani Community College’s Culinary Innovation Center and coffee professionals visit Waialua Estate’s farm on the North Shore of O‘ahu to learn about how coffee is grown and processed.

Aloha and welcome to Pono Collective's new website. As we introduce this new space, we invite you to learn more about who we are, where we come from, and where we’re headed together.

Pono Collective was founded on a shared belief: that the future of understanding Hawai‘i’s food systems relies on developing a more just, resilient, and locally rooted approach to agriculture and education. We knew that textbooks and lectures alone couldn’t capture the richness of Hawai‘i’s agricultural heritage or the complexity of the systems that sustain our islands. Therefore, we expanded our focus beyond the classroom to include farms, mills, roasteries, and small businesses that serve as the foundations of our community. What began as a pilot project focused on Hawai‘i’s specialty coffee industry soon evolved into something bigger: a movement to bridge education, agriculture, and local leadership.

At Pono Collective, learning is meant to be experienced firsthand. Our programs are immersive, place-based, and community-focused. We craft experiences that connect learners directly with the people, practices, and values that make Hawai‘i special. It’s not just about acquiring knowledge—it’s about building relationships, respecting culture, and growing together in ways that are sustainable and inclusive.

Mahalo for joining us.