Our Impact

Since 2022, Pono Collective has partnered with Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Innovation Center to provide students with hands-on experience in Hawai‘i’s specialty coffee and cacao industries. By moving students out of the traditional classroom and teaching holistically through curated site visits and discussions with growers, sensory professionals, roasters, baristas, and entrepreneurs, the goal is to inspire students to connect more deeply with the origins of the ingredients they use every day. This immersive approach has left a lasting impression—not only on the students but also on educators and industry professionals.

Inspired by these experiences, Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Department launched a new series of courses in 2023: Advanced Culinary Experiences (A.C.E.). These distinctive classes build on the 2022 pilot project with Pono Collective and aim to expand learning beyond the kitchen, offering students a comprehensive view of food systems in Hawai‘i and beyond — from the land to the sea. Students also explore sustainability, traceability, and cultural responsibility while learning directly from those shaping our islands’ food future.

This is exactly the kind of ripple effect Pono Collective was created to spark: empowering institutions to embed deeper meaning and connection into their curriculum. By bridging education with real-world environments, and connections to industry leaders and professionals, we are not only expanding what’s possible for culinary education—we’re investing in the next generation of learners and food leaders committed to mālama ʻāina and community resilience.