“Our model is one that promotes both food and energy production,” Twigg-Smith explained. “In Hawaii, we have an acute understanding of our supply chain and the fact that 90% of our state’s food is imported. Hawaii is the most isolated archipelago in the world, with the closest major landmass 2,400 miles away. There is an urgent need to increase food and energy production in Hawaii to reduce dependence on imported goods and bolster food security across the state.”
“Our production process for sunflower oil highlights the inherent health benefits and natural flavor characteristics that are absent from conventional cooking oils,” he adds. “Most people have never tasted non-RBD (refined/bleached/deodorized) culinary oil. The sunflower creates a sensory experience, from its growth in the field and striking blooms to the rich earthy flavors that carry through into the oil. It is the complete package, and for those reasons we have focused on sunflower production in Hawaii.”
