Aurora A. Saulo, Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawai`i at Manoa; Rochelle A. McArthur, Pacific Asian Management Institute, College of Business Administration, University of Hawai`i at Manoa; Louie Divinagracia, Departments of Business Management and Marketing, De La Salle Professional Schools, Manila, Philippines.
USDA Award #2006-51160-03402

The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) is the Land Grant College and only college at the University of Hawaii (UH) that is federally mandated to teach, conduct scientific research, and provide outreach to address State agribusiness needs. CTAHR contributes significantly to support business growth and development by addressing agriculture that has a vital contribution to Hawaii economy, specifically the food processing industry which alone contributed $1.07 billion in sales or 55.3% of total agricultural sales. Many of the small businesses that make up more than 80% of the Hawaii food processing industry are not adept with how to utilize promotional programs effectively, try novel methods, develop new markets, improve business operations, or maximize product exposure to become competitive globally where full potential is possible.

To address their internationalization needs, instruction and outreach will be integrated through partnerships with the private sector, the Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association (HFMA), and other institutional units, the UH Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) and the De La Salle University in the Philippines aiming to strengthen students, faculty, staff, and the private sector’s awareness of the global dimensions of agriculture. The partners will develop an instructional online course that will provide basic and current information on the requirements of global competitiveness, addressing the specific needs of the Hawaii food processing industry that are also relevant to other Hawaii agribusiness. The course will provide a unique link to international business and trade not currently available in any food course but integrate well with existing food and agricultural programs on the different campuses of the University of Hawaii. The outreach section will involve offering to Hawaii businesses and other clients of the partners the opportunity for first-hand practical experiences in a delegation in 2006 at an international trade, building upon the theories and principles learned through the online course. Their recorded experiences will be shared through presentations. As a culmination of the two-year project, a two-day workshop will discuss issues important to the advancement of their business to compete in the international marketplace aimed to enhance their business performance and increase their global competitiveness, and ultimately the US international competitiveness.

Go Global: Food Processing and Safety. An International Conference, February 26-27, 2008

The University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), University of Hawaii Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association (HFMA), and De La Salle Professional Schools, Manila, Philippines (DLSPS) partnered to address issues of international trade in agribusiness. The conference focused on food processing and the various issues that face agribusiness practitioners that prevent them from developing, maintaining and expanding commercial export markets. The goal of the conference was to present windows of opportunities and entry points in the international agribusiness and food value chain by identifying key factors driving competition and alliances and discussing business strategies employed by successful players that will enable new businesses to enter and grow their businesses in food markets overseas.

The Fourth International Forum on Food Safety and the 14th World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai, China, October 19-23, 2009

These international workshops discussed the current trends in food safety, risk assessment and crisis management, experiences for developing modern food safety systems, and issues that improve international food trade through marketing. Some of these issues were relevant to food businesses in Hawaii. The top issues, which were considered sensitive information, included the following: (1) Safety is the most important factor of a food. The recent melamine incidences were discussed and the responses from the Chinese regulatory agencies and the dairy farms involved demonstrated that outsourcing must be closely monitored by the food companies. (2) Product labeling and identification, traceback, and record keeping are important to food safety. (3) China remains a strong force in the food business and it is prudent for food manufacturers to follow strict plans to insure food safety.

A Consumer Perspective on Sustainability and the Food Industry: The Many Faces of Organic 2008 (slide presentation / video to the Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association by Dr. Shelley Balanko, Vice President of Ethnographic Research, The Hartman Group, Inc., Bellevue, Washington, October 28, 2008)

The Many Faces of Organic 2008 presented the consumer perspective on sustainability relative to the food industry. There are strong indications that a host of issues related to sustainability have become mainstream concerns to masses of American consumers. However, these concerns are typically grounded in consumers’ fear of personal risks rather than global risks. Given the consumer’s highly personal approach to sustainability, it is little wonder that they most readily see the connection between the food and beverage industry and their own wellbeing and longevity. This presentation illustrated differences in sustainability perceptions among organic consumer segments according to The Hartman Group World Model. Specifically, this research showed that consumers view organic foods and beverages as a means of ensuring not only personal benefits, but for some consumers, they also see benefits for society and our environment as well. In the World of Organic consumers use various Dimensions of Consumption to help them make decisions about organic products, and these were described in detail. The presentation also addressed which food and beverage categories are most relevant to today’s consumer, and why. Where consumers seek organic products is also explored as is the issue of price premiums. Lastly, the presentation explained the business practices influencing purchasing behavior, and guidelines for marketing and communicating sustainability efforts to the consumer. In particular, how notions of organic, local, and fresh can be leveraged to support sustainability perceptions were described.

Workshop: Food Packaging, Shelf Life, and Sustainability. A Workshop on the Global Impact of Plastics Packaging by Dr. Gordon Robertson, Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, Australia.
Tuesday-Wednesday, January 20-21, 2009, 8:30am-5:00pm at the Pagoda Hotel, 1525 Rycroft St, Honolulu, HI 96814.

Reservation & Registration:
$900/person until January 9, 2009 and $950/person thereafter, if space is available. Maximum of 15 registrants. Fee includes meals for 2 days (breakfast, morning and afternoon breaks, and lunch) and a personal copy of the book Food Packaging Principles & Practice, 2nd edition 2006 by Gordon Robertson (see workshop flyer).

To register, you may use the registration form of the workshop brochure or you may send your name, affiliation, address, phone number, and email address along with your check made payable to Dr. Gordon L. Robertson and mail all to the Workshop Coordinator,

Dr. Aurora Saulo
University of Hawaii at Manoa, TPSS Department
3190 Maile Way, St. John 102
Honolulu, HI 96822

tel 808 956 6564
fax 808 956 3894
cell 808 226 1950
aurora@hawaii.edu

The workshop time schedule lists the topics to be covered.

Abstract:
Few of those working in the food and packaging industries have had formal education in food packaging. Decisions about which polymer to choose or what the effect on shelf life will be, if a change is made in package dimensions or polymer type, are then based on trial and error or intuition. This course is an attempt to fill that gap with respect to plastics packaging by discussing the basic principles behind polymer selection, deteriorative reactions in foods and shelf life. The hot topic of sustainable packaging will also be discussed, as will biobased packaging such as PLA and PHA. The workshop will provide attendees the opportunity to update themselves on key packaging trends and innovations and expand their knowledge base and competence in the complex area of plastics packaging. Participants will learn how to reframe package challenges and make winning food packaging decisions that meet consumer demands for sustainability while still delivering the required shelf life. There will also be ample opportunity for discussion.