Pono Collective — the Coffee Education Experience

The impact of Pono Collective is most evident through its collaboration with Kapiʻolani Community College’s (KCC) Culinary Arts Department. Initially launched as a non-credit pilot, Pono Collective played a crucial role in developing KCC’s Advanced Culinary Experiences (ACE) courses. Now, students earn college credit for these classes, enhancing their appreciation not only of food production and preparation but also of the significance of culture and values. Since its founding, Pono Collective has fostered connections beyond Hawai‘i, creating impactful experiences and relationships with students and professionals in El Salvador and Guatemala. Savor Brands is proud to support Pono Collective as it embarks on a new chapter as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity dedicated to experiential learning rooted in shared values of community, collaboration, and the Hawaiian principle of pono—doing what is right. Through its own independent governance, Pono Collective’s mission continues to create a purposeful connection between learners and the many hands involved in sustaining our local value chains and to inspire the next generation to understand the importance of Hawai‘i-grown products by building connections between educators, producers, and industry leaders.