Aiding the Reintroduction of Limu Products in Kaneohe
Partner organization: Pacific American Foundation & Sea Grant Hawaiʻi
Team members: Riley Bent (Biomedical Engineering ’24), Alex MacDonald (Computer Science ’24), Jacob Sledge (Mechanical Engineering ’24), Lauren Abraham (Biology & Biotechnology ’24)
Download the team’s final presentation.
Hawaiʻi and other small island states are forced to rely on imported goods for much of their food supply due to their far distances from global production centers (Terrell, 2021). Relying on imported goods has forced Hawaiʻi to depend on large-scale food importation to feed residents of the islands. Mass food imports have resulted in cultural erosion, a process in which a society’s core elements and traditional practices begin to degrade (Nurrie, 2020). Food imports have caused a decline in the expression of traditional Hawaiian cuisines as well as in traditional farming methods (Reppun, 2010). Growing traditional Hawaiian food locally can help reintroduce these cuisines back into the Hawaiian diet and feed the local community (Avalos, 2017). The Pacific American Foundation (PAF) and Sea Grant Hawaiʻi are collaborating on efforts to produce a limu product grown at Waikalua Loko I’a, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond, using traditional farming methods. The PAF’s overarching goal is for Waikalua to become a food source once again for the Kaneohe community.
The goal of this project was to conduct research for the PAF and Sea Grant Hawaiʻi to facilitate the reintroduction of a locally grown, traditional limu product to the Kaneohe community. This was done with the intention of providing an action plan for our sponsors to transition from the research phase to the startup sales phase of limu production.
The first objective in achieving our project goal was to analyze viable distribution methods for the PAF’s limu product. We conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals from multiple types of distribution organizations for local produce. The distribution methods we researched consisted of community supported agriculture organizations (CSAs), farms/ranches, and a local school lunch program to distribute the limu product.
From our semi-structured interviews with these organizations, we determined the viability of each organization’s fit for distributing the PAF’s limu products. We determined that CSAs operating on Oahu as well as the school lunch program are too large for the sponsor’s current limited rate of production. However, farms and ranches that have marketplaces open to the public will be a better fit for a start-up aquaculture organization like the PAF, as they have fewer requirements for partnerships and work on smaller scales. Interviewees from these farms and ranches conveyed that they do not require partnered organizations to meet high demands for product supply, allowing easier entry into markets for new producers. Although CSAs and school lunch programs are not good options at this time due to current production limits, as the PAF increases their limu production rates in the future, these organizations may provide ideal partnerships for the PAF.
The second objective was to develop a strategy for the PAF for outreach to the community of Kaneohe, which is the target demographic for their limu product. To complete this objective, our team created several brochures, as they are quick and inexpensive to produce, to then be dispersed by the PAF amongst members of the community. These different brochures will relay general information about the pond and sponsors, convey the health benefits of limu and how to prepare it, and express cultural significance and quotes from kūpuna (elders). The necessary information was collected through research and semi-structured interviews.
To produce a quality brochure, we conducted research to understand the key components of what made a brochure effective. Therefore, our brochure contains relevant information to invoke the target audience’s attention. With the help of the sponsors, who are also members of the Kaneohe community, we selected information regarding the PAF and limu to promote the limu product.
From our research at the food tasting event, we created 3 more brochure designs. Each of these designs allow the sponsors to convey more specialized information including community events, limu recipes, and cultural stories. Brochures are helpful when explaining the mission of an organization, educating the readers, and promoting events (Community Tool Box, n.d).
The third objective of this project was to identify the interests of our sponsor’s target demographic. To accomplish this, we conducted consumer interviews at various farmers markets on Oahu and hosted a community food tasting event.
From our consumer interviews, we gathered a general idea of what consumers think about limu, how they consume it, and how they get limu. The general response from most participants that were willing to speak with us was that they have a harder time finding limu at stores and farmers markets than they used to. The same people expressed that they would be interested in purchasing limu grown at the Waikalua fishpond. This demonstrated that people are still interested in limu even though it is less common. The feedback identified that respondents were most likely to consume limu in poke and in a pickled form. Poke is a dish that permeates Hawaiian culture and is usually a rice bowl with fish and other toppings. The team solidified these findings at a food tasting event at Waikalua with PAF docents as well as other Kaneohe community members. The food tasting gauged the participants’ opinions on fresh manauea, dried manauea, fresh ‘ula ‘ula, dried ‘ula ‘ula, manauea poke mix, and pickled manauea. The surveys allowed the team to determine the limu variants that were most enjoyed by consumers.
The data was compiled to inform the recommendations for our sponsors to provide actionable items for the growth of their organization. We recommend that the PAF expand their business partnerships to process and distribute their limu, further their community outreach strategies, and expand their product line alongside gathering more consumer data. For expanding their business partnerships, we recommend they begin processing limu in collaboration with a commercial kitchen, which is a requirement for processing food that will be sold to the public. Furthermore, the sponsors should reexamine their distribution strategy as their business grows. Distribution of limu should start with local farm stands/ranches, expanding to CSAs and finally partnering with large commercial organizations. Additionally, we recommend our sponsors expand their community outreach through brochure distribution and an increase in their social media presence. To help them accomplish this, we provided a specific plan that will allow them to reach the community as well as market their products. Finally, we recommend that our sponsors expand their product line and gather more consumer opinions on their new products. Expanding their product line will diversify their revenue streams as well as reach a larger audience. This would allow the PAF to determine which products are the most successful with their consumer base and reduce waste. It is our hope that our team’s research and recommendations will aid the PAF’s entry into the local limu market and help the organization achieve its goal of reintroducing limu products to the Kaneohe region.