Two lifetime achievement winners emerged from Saturday night’s TASTE Awards gala sponsored by the Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association.
Both Ernest Tottori, chairman of HPC Foods Ltd., and Keith Ohta, president of Hawaii Candy Inc., were awarded the prize after voting within the association wound up in a tie.
HPC Foods was established by Kakuichi Tottori in 1946 as Honolulu Poi Co., a poi milling operation with three employees. His son James took over in 1950 and two years later was joined by James’ son Ernest. The company’s product line expanded, its name was changed in 1990 and it now has more than 180 employees.
Hawaii Candy President Keith Ohta followed his late father, Richard, into the business. Richard Ohta was a founding member of the Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association and served as president; Keith Ohta has served twice as president. He is credited with helping to get association products into Times Supermarkets and the local military commissaries, Marukai in California and Uwajimaya stores in Oregon and Washington.
A Battle of the Chefs held before the event was won by Russell Siu (best taste), James Aptakin (presentation) and Shaymus Alwin (use of association products).
TOP COMPANIES
Along with the lifetime achievement awards, these awards were issued Saturday:
>> The INNOVATE Hawaii manufacturer of the year award for a large company (50 or more employees) was presented to Maui Gold Pineapple Co.; the award for smaller companies went to Diamond Bakery Co.
>> Hawaiian Pie Co., helmed by Joel and Jan Hori, was named top startup manufacturer.
>> For combining Nisshodo mochi with dark chocolate to create a mochi truffle, Colins and Joan Kawai and Erin and Chris Uehara won the product of the year award for Choco Le‘a.
>> Hilo-based KTA Super Stores was named top advocate. Started in 1916 as a 500-square-foot grocery and dry goods store by Koichi and Taniyo Taniguchi, KTA is now a six-store chain on Hawaii island. KTA established the Mountain Apple brand in 1984 as a private label that promotes Hawaii- grown or manufactured products.
>> Pacific Rim Packaging Inc. won supplier of the year, and this year’s Hawaiian agriculture award was presented to The Big Island Bee Co., based in Captain Cook.
