Get connected with financial and business resources from OHA that can help expand your business and profits at oha.org/malamaloan.
Michael Ching, owner of Hawaiʻi Gourmet Cookies, has developed a recipe for sweet success. It starts with his line of cookies that are handmade in Hawaiʻi and includes fresh ingredients that are locally sourced when possible. His staff of 18 add different flavorings to make his cookie brittle available in an array of delicious flavors that include coconut, chocolate brownie, coffee, and passion fruit. These cookies are sold in bulk to wholesale clubs like Sam’s Club and CostCo.
His recipe for success also includes accessing financial and business resources from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). A loan from OHA allowed him to purchase a machine that individually plastic wraps his line of chocolate-dipped macadamia shortbread cookies and fruit flavored-shortbread cookies. The plastic wrapping machine allows him to sell to his other big customer, Hawaiian Airlines. Later as his business progressed and working capital was needed, he took out a Mālama Loan from OHA to purchase additional equipment to increase production.
Michael encourages other Hawaiian entrepreneurs to “get support from OHA to be the best you can be.”
To get connected with financial and business resources from OHA that can help expand your business and profits visit oha.org/malamaloan.
Created by OHA Digital Media
Produced by Alice Malepeai Silbanuz
Video by James Hall
Edit by Alexis Panoncillo
