Diamond Bakery Hawai'i has partnered with the Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative to launch a new animal cracker made with local breadfruit flour and honey.
With support from FLIK808, “the delicious, wholesome treat” will be distributed to schools across the Islands, according to Diamond Bakery President of Butch Galdeira. The collaboration marks “the largest mainstream integration of” ʻulu into educational institutions, the company noted.
“We are happy to incorporate ʻulu into our beloved animal crackers,” he told Aloha State Daily by email. “ʻUlu has deep roots in Hawaiian history, brought here by Polynesian voyagers and has become a vital, nutritious staple in the Hawaiian diet.”
Galdeira added that the inspiration to utilize breadfruit flour mixed with blueberries came from a previous collaboration with a local Native Hawaiian preschool program, which promoted purchasing locally grown staples. So far, the crackers have reached students at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy and Hawaiʻi Baptist Academy, among other schools statewide.
“We’ve been actively seeking forward-thinking food manufacturers to help integrate this sustainable, nutritious flour into everyday foods. Diamond Bakery was the perfect partner,” Dana Shapiro, CEO of Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative said in a statement.
Comprised of nearly 200 member farms, the co-op aggregates, processes and markets ‘ulu, along with other Hawaiian-grown canoe crops, “to strengthen local food systems and improve community health,” according to its mission. The company reported that production of its ʻulu flour has tripled its capacity to 15,000 pounds annually over the past several years. Its flour and pancake mix are available for purchase at Down to Earth, Farm Link Hawai’i, among other grocery locations.
Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative will be at the Made in Hawai’i Festival Aug. 15-17, with samples of Diamond Bakery’s new ʻulu animal crackers, ʻulu hummus and ‘ulu chocolate mousse.
Currently, the ʻulu crackers are only available for direct purchasing for school accounts or at Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative’s website.
“We aim to have 100% locally made and baked ʻulu animal crackers available across Hawaiʻi’s Department of Education systems and beyond, strengthening our community’s support for local agriculture and products,” Galdeira told ASD. “Our primary challenge is navigating the complex DOE procurement process, but the opportunity to grow this local product into the Hawaii DOE system remains a top priority.”
7 things we learned from the factory tour
- Named after Diamond Head State Monument, the company was founded in 1921 by three Japanese immigrants; Hidegoro Murai, Kikutaro Hiruya and Natsu Muramoto. Its original location was where Zippy's McCully is today.
- “Giving is a huge part of who we are,” said Director of Development and Strategic Initiatives Jackie Murai-Pederson. Ongoing initiatives benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities Hawai’i, Helping Hands Hawai’I, Shriner’s Children’s Hawai’i and Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children, and more.
- Collabs welcome. One to note was with Sage Creamery, which offered flavored ice cream and ice cream sandwiches.
- Diamond Bakery’s factory in Kalihi also has a gift shop featuring its Hawaiian Soda Crackers, Royal Creem Crackers, Animal Crackers and Hawaiian Cookies. Murai-Pederson said there’s been a shift from local buyers to visitors. “Eighty percent of the factory store’s sales come from tourists,” she said.
- The new ‘ulu animal crackers were taste tested by kids. At the end of the conveyor belt, a cooled cracker helps intensify its taste.
- The factory can hold up to 80,000 pounds of flour at once.
- Diamond Bakery's core values is P.O.N.O., which stands for Pursuit of Innovation with Integrity; Outstanding Quality; Nourishment of our Community; One 'Ohana.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
