Rice Festival slated in September at Ward Centers

The fourth annual Hawaii Rice Fest will be staged Sept. 1 at Ward Centers.

A Spam musubi eating contest is among the planned activities, as is an attempt by organizers to again break the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Spam musubi.

Professional chef demonstrations and live musical performances will accompany the event that will feature more than 30 rice-serving vendors.

Admission will be free and attendees are encouraged to bring donations of cash or brown rice for the Lanakila Pacific Meals on Wheels nonprofit meal delivery service. 

Alaska Airlines to buy biofuel from Hawaii

Alaska Airlines has signed a contract to buy biofuel for its aircraft from Hawaii BioEnergy LLC.

The terms were not disclosed, however, Hawaii BioEnergy plans to increase production to begin sales possibly as early as 2018, according to a statement.

Hawaii BioEnergy plans to use locally grown feedstocks to produce biofuels. The biofuel will likely be based on woody biomass, consistent with sustainability standards set by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels.

The airline is Hawaii BioEnergy’s second customer, but is the first to sign a contract, according to a statement. Hawaiian Electric Co. previously announced an agreement to purchase 10 million gallons of fuel each year from Hawaii BioEnergy, under a deal pending approval from the Public Utilities Commission.

Wong inducted into culinary hall of fame

Hawaii chef, restaurateur and author Alan Wong is among the newest inductees in the American Academy of Chefs Hall of Fame.

Wong was inducted in ceremonies as part of the American Culinary Federation national convention in Las Vegas Tuesday evening.

Wong is the first Hawaii chef to be so honored. Previous inductees include Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter and Cat Cora.

Consumers challenged to create sandwich

King’s Hawaiian bread company is introducing a new product and is challenging consumers to create a contest-winning sandwich to publicize it.

Contestants who create sandwiches with the company’s new Original Hawaiian Sweet Sliced Bread or any of its bread products, can submit their ingredient list and recipe instructions, and upload a photo of their entry to the contest website until 8:59 p.m. Sept. 2.

The 10 winners, to be announced Sept. 17, each will be treated to limousine service for a night on the town for six at a featured restaurant, as well as a year’s supply of King’s Hawaiian bread.

Winning recipes also will be shared online.

King’s Hawaiian bread company was founded in Hilo more than 60 years ago. The company, now based in California, distributes its product nationally. Its Hawaiian sweet bread buns recently were featured in a sandwich at Arby’s restaurants.

Mobile ads push up Facebook revenue

SAN FRANCISCO » Facebook’s stock is flying high after the world’s biggest social network posted higher revenue from mobile ads and delivered a healthy second-quarter profit that reversed a loss a year earlier.

The results, which come on the heels of weaker-than-expected results from online search leader Google Inc., signal that Facebook’s aggressive push into the mobile advertising market continues to pay off. The company began showing mobile advertisements for the first time last spring.

On Wednesday, Facebook said mobile ads accounted for 41 percent of its total advertising revenue.

The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company’s stock jumped $4.93, or 18.6 percent, to $31.44 in extended trading after closing at $26.51.

The stock was priced at $38 when Facebook went public in May 2012 and hasn’t hit that since.

Despite hype, soda sales continue decline

NEW YORK » It seems that not even Beyonce or new, lower-calorie options can persuade Americans to drink more soda.

Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. all sold less soda in the second quarter in North America, dashing hopes for the moment that splashy new marketing and different sweetener mixes could get drinkers back.

Coca-Cola Co. said it sold 4 percent less soda in North America, while PepsiCo Inc. simply said its decline for the region was in the "mid-single digits." Dr Pepper sold 3 percent less of the fizzy drinks.

Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, blamed the sluggish sales on a cold, wet spring. But the declines continue a yearslong trend.

According to industry tracker Beverage Digest, per capita soda consumption in the U.S. has been slipping steadily since 1998 amid concerns that sugary drinks fuel weight gain.

ON THE MOVE

Hathaway Jakobsen has been named chief advancement officer at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Her experience includes work as director of individual giving at the Sundance Institute and director of major gifts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Christian Adams has been named partner and sales director for Bonterra Solar. He has worked with a number of solar companies, including a large electrical contracting firm in Hawaii.

RIM Architects has named Chad Zane as project manager. He is currently working on the Aloha Air Cargo, HQ PACAF at Hickam and Schofield Barracks South Range Operations Complex. Zane spent 12 years in San Francisco working on a variety projects, including multi-unit housing, health care architecture and community focused architecture.