Eleven Hawaiʻi-made brands — from granola to kava, mac nuts to oysters — join the islands’ leading consumer product accelerator.
Mana Up, the leading accelerator driving economic growth for Hawaiʻi-based product businesses, today announces Cohort 11 — eleven companies selected from a record 256 applicants, spanning Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, and Kauaʻi across seven product categories.
From a fourth-generation noodle factory in Hilo to a kava beverage company reimagining happy hour on Maui, the range of what Hawaiʻi is building right now is remarkable.
Since its founding in 2018, Mana Up has supported more than 105 Hawaiʻi-based companies. Alumni now generate $135 million in total annual revenue, and have created more than 1,120 jobs across the islands, with 74% manufacturing their products right here in Hawaiʻi and 62% sourcing their ingredients locally.
“The talent has always been here. The growing number of applicants shows how many more founders are ready to take it to the next level,” says Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up. “The fact that 256 companies applied this year — the most we've ever seen — tells you everything about where Hawaiʻi entrepreneurship is headed.”
A Snapshot of Hawaiʻi’s Entrepreneurial Momentum
The record applicant pool offered a rare window into the health of Hawaiʻi’s small business community — and the outlook is strong.
256 applications received — a 26% increase over Cohort 10
On average, 91% of applicants expressed optimism about Hawaiʻi’s economy
More than 40% explicitly cited giving back to Hawai'i as motivation
63.5% plan to add employees in the next year
750+ jobs already represented across the applicant pool
All four major Hawaiian Islands plus Molokaʻi represented
Cohort 11 By the Numbers
11 companies selected from 256 applications
7 women-owned or women-led companies
3 multi-generational, family-owned businesses
Island breakdown:
Oʻahu — 5 companies
Hawaiʻi Island — 3 companies
Maui — 2 companies
Kauaʻi — 1 company
Product categories:
Food & Beverage — 7 companies (granola, mac nut snacks, heritage noodles, herbal tea, oyster catering & retail sauce, kava beverages, local snack foods)
Wellness — 1 company
Beauty & Personal Care — 1 company
Fashion & Accessories — 1 company
Stationery — 1 company
Inside the Mana Up Accelerator
Cohort 11 companies will spend six months in Mana Up’s hands-on accelerator, receiving mentorship and expert support across brand development, e-commerce, wholesale strategy, manufacturing, storytelling, and global market expansion. Each founder also gains immediate access to House of Mana Up, the program’s dedicated retail platform, putting their products in front of customers locally and globally from day one.
The Mana Up Showcase
The accelerator culminates with the annual Mana Up Showcase — Hawaiʻi's largest platform for local consumer brands. In October, the Showcase Broadcast and Global Livestream lets viewers meet Cohort 11 founders, hear their stories, and shop their products in real time via House of Mana Up. Then on November 5, the in-person Showcase Marketplace at Bloomingdale's Ala Moana Center brings attendees face-to-face with founders and their products.
Meet the Cohort 11 Companies
Ahualoa Family Farms, LLC | Hawaiʻi Island — Honokaʻa
Āhualoa Family Farms produces gourmet products from 100% Hawaiʻi-grown macadamia nuts, sourced from local farmers and roasted in small batches at their farm, Nuthouse Kitchen & Shop, and a restored historic factory.
BUJO BAE | Oʻahu — ʻAiea
Founded and designed by Hilo-raised artist Jenna Aina Ikeda, BUJO BAE creates bullet-journal-inspired planners, guided journals, notepads, and hand-drawn stationery that blend island roots with everyday intentionality. Equal parts art project and life tool.
Good Mana | Oʻahu (and Hilo)
Good Mana is a farm-to-table wellness company transforming Hawaiʻi-grown botanicals into premium supplements. Its flagship ʻŌlena Gold™ turmeric — sourced from regenerative farms and processed to preserve whole-root potency — and Hang Easy™ recovery supplement bring clean, science-informed island wellness to a global audience.
Island Essence (Maui Kensington LLC) | Maui — Kahului
One of the longest-running locally made beauty brands in the state, Island Essence has been handcrafting bath, spa, and body botanicals for over 35 years. Founded in 1990 and still made in Kahului, the woman-operated company is beloved for its signature Maui Miracle Oils, tamanu nut healing oil, and island-inspired lotions and soaps.
Maebo Noodle Factory Inc. | Hawaiʻi Island — Hilo
A four-generation Hilo institution with 76 years of history, Maebo Noodle Factory has long been a community staple — famous for its One-Ton Chips and fresh saimin and chow fun noodles. The current generation is honoring that legacy while innovating with the signature One-Ton Chip Cookie, proving that great things happen when tradition meets hustle.
Oceans End | Oʻahu — Kailua
Built grassroots by a local AAPI mother, Oceans End designs thoughtful handbags, lei-adornment keychains, and island-inspired accessories that blend everyday function with elevated island style. A brand rooted in authenticity and made for modern Hawaiʻi women.
Oysters Hawaiʻi | Oʻahu — Honolulu
Hawaiʻi’s first and only mobile oyster shucking and caviar catering company, co-owned by sisters Allie Chu Pokipala and Julie Chu Fieman, brings luxury seafood experiences to weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations across Hawaiʻi, Las Vegas, and California. Their signature smoked ponzu sauce is also available for retail.
Vaui Social Liquids | Maui — Haʻikū
Born from Pauwela Beverage Company — Maui’s craft fermentation brewery — Vaui Social Liquids is a kava-based, alcohol-free beverage line reimagining how we unwind. Rooted in centuries of Pacific Island tradition, Vaui brings kava into the social mainstream: sparkling, tropical, and made for real moments without the hangover.
Wailua Granola Co. | Kauaʻi
Founded by Native Hawaiian entrepreneur Taleea Carvalho, Wailua Granola Co. crafts small-batch, dairy-free granola using fresh Kauaʻi coconut and raw Kauaʻi honey. What started as a homemade recipe has grown into five beloved flavors and a thriving local business — the kind of story Mana Up was built for.
Waimea Herb Company | Hawaiʻi Island — Waimea
A Native Hawaiian, family-owned tea company based in Waimea, Waimea Herb Company works closely with regenerative farmers to craft premium herbal and black tea blends from locally grown botanicals cultivated in Hawaiʻi’s mineral-rich volcanic soil. From cultivation to cup — every blend is rooted in land, culture, and community.
Yick Lung – Hawaiʻi’s Choice | Oʻahu — Honolulu
With roots going back more than 100 years, Yick Lung is a heritage snack brand being rebuilt for the next generation by Derek Ching. The makers of nostalgic local favorites like Nibb-its and Li Hing Plum and Mango tablets are expanding distribution, modernizing packaging, and growing e-commerce — bringing a piece of Hawaiʻi’s snack legacy to the world.
About Mana Up
Mana Up is an accelerator and venture fund for Hawaiʻi-based product companies growing to markets globally, with the mission to increase economic opportunity and jobs for the people of Hawaiʻi.
Through hands-on mentorship, retail and wholesale partnerships, e-commerce support, and access to capital, Mana Up helps Hawaiʻi entrepreneurs build companies that honor the islands and reach the world. For more information, visit manauphawaii.com.
