Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center

Established in 2024, the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC) is a 33,000-square-foot food manufacturing and education facility operated by Leeward Community College in partnership with the State of Hawaiʻi. WVAPDC plays a key role in strengthening Hawaiʻi’s economy by helping to turn local ingredients into value-added food products for local and global markets. The Center accomplishes this mission by supporting students, food entrepreneurs, and farmers through premier educational programming, product development consulting, and access to comprehensive resources – including commercial kitchens with state-of-the-art equipment, a product development lab with testing capabilities, and the state’s only Hiperbaric high pressure processing system—the Hiperbaric 55—designed for small-batch production, R&D, and educational use. The Center also offers packaging and labeling suites, flexible workspaces for classes and training, and an event loft with a demonstration kitchen.