 Welcome to Restaurants Hawaii on Think Tech Hawaii. I am your host, Cheryl Matsuoka, the executive director of Hawaii Restaurant Association. And today I have two guests. I'm gonna have them introduce themselves. Hey, Joe, why don't you introduce yourself? Hi, my name is Joe Sanchez from Daniels Western Meat Packers here in Peek River, California in the Los Angeles area. We are a full service, food service distributor and processor. And we are a certified USDA organic plant also. We service restaurants, hotels, musin parks, resorts. And also we do a retail line also which we service retail markets also. Thank you, Joe, and welcome to the show. Hey, Richard. Richard, could you introduce yourself? Yeah, this is Richard C. I'm the CEO of Hawaii Robotic. So we are the robot supplier for Hawaii Market and Pacific Rims. So yeah, we distributed all the restaurant robot, hotel robot, and even some outdoor robots. Thank you, Richard. Thank you for joining me today. Today we're recapping the Hawaii Hotel and Restaurant Show which was held on March 30th and 31st at the Hawaii Convention Center. And I thought that this would be a really important conversation. The Hawaii Hotel and Restaurant Show is official show of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, and Star Events. Gentlemen, I have received so much feedback about the show. And I've been getting texts, phone calls, and emails. And it's from companies who had booths at the show. They shared how valuable it was for them to participate and get a booth at the show. And in fact, on the morning of the second day, I received the message from someone at like 6.40 in the morning. And they said they already, after the first day, had 21 solid contacts and even one potential international contact. So already after the first day, it was already a huge success for that person. So basically, if nobody showed up, he was already a happy camper. So I just wanted to say a little bit about what he said. He said, Cheryl, I am a booth holder. And for him, it's an investment. 2020-2021 was a really rough year for him. And the reason it was rough is his business really relies on the restaurant and food service industry. As the restaurants were shuttered for the two years and it was very slow foot traffic, it impacted his business. It impacted his livelihood. And basically, it brought tears to my eyes because this show was the first show after two years. So it was so important for him to participate. Even though he had a very tough financial two years, he was willing to make that investment and reserve a booth. After the first day, it was definitely worth it from him. So today, I felt it was important that we hear from two participants and the two of you had boots at our show and I spoke to almost every restaurateur that came to the show and I made it a point to go to every booth and speak to every person who had a booth as to how they felt about the show. So can I please give Joe an opportunity to share with us? How was the show for you, Joe? And would you be participating in 2023? The show was really great for us just to get some new contacts and to reconnect with our old contacts. Also, we haven't been in Hawaii for two years now and I've been doing a show in Hawaii for over 10 years. So I'm just kind of used to always planning a food show in Hawaii to come on and show our products. We did get some new interests, which was great for us. And even just having a one or even two new customers pays off for us extremely just to be able to service Hawaii with some natural and organic meats and some items that they have not seen before is a pleasure to me to be able to supply them with that. And just to see the happiness in everybody's face is that they're able to come to the show and to see each other because it's like old friends again and just seeing everybody and just knowing that we're gonna be we're gonna be in a good place for now on and just see increased business. That is awesome. Hey, Jo, talk a little bit about that product that you have, the new product that you were featuring at the show. It's called Pasteur. Pasteur raised regenerative agriculture meats. And what that is is farmers that are now tending more into the earth now. So they're regenerating the soil and back into the earth and just gained away from pesticides and herbicides that are sprayed on crops. And what they're doing is regenerating the earth which would mean like just like composting almost into the soil. And what that does is make a better ecosystem. It's a, it minimizes the carbon footprint and it just makes the animals be a little healthier in a raising environment. And for us consumers of just knowing that we're eating and healthier meat or from animals that are being raised humanely and in a good environment. And that's so important, Jo, as I mentioned this was the first time that you were presenting that product and I was, I received some education from you about that whole process. So thank you, thank you for coming. Thank you for being a part of the show and educating us that this is even, this is even something that is some farmers are doing out there. So thank you. Yes, you're welcome. And yes, we will be back next year. Oh, thank you, Jo, appreciate that. Thank you so much. And I got to eat some of his yummy samples. So I wanted to thank you for that also. Everybody in our booth really enjoyed the food that you provided for us. So thank you so much. You're welcome. And that's what the show is all about, Jo. You said exactly that. People haven't seen each other for two years. We didn't have a show. And so everybody was so excited to come to the show, which is why you saw so many restaurant tours and people in the food service industry attending the show. And a lot of them wish they had had boots in the show and they didn't. So I'm thinking we're gonna have to get a bigger space next year in 2023. Okay, Richard, I had, I also had walked over to your booth and I was able to do some tastings also. So why don't you share with our viewers a little bit about what you were presenting at the Hawaii Hotel and Restaurant Show? Yeah, sure. This is an amazing experience for us because we had a new experience in the show. So during the show, we had the coffee cocktail robot. We had the cooking robot. We had the hotel robot. And we also had the restaurant delivered robot. And out of the blue, and we get so many customers talk to us, they're people asking for outdoor robots. They asking for landscape robot. They asking for bathroom cleanup robots. So we're sharing a lot of new things with our customers. And all we have over 70 restaurant express their interests and we have hotels and we have ours, my clubs, and everybody's interested in the robot. I guess it's just because the labor shortage in the last two years trigger the innovation of the industry. So people are thinking about the alternative and you know, here we are. So definitely we'll come again this next year and hopefully we can visit all our customers in this coming few weeks and measure the location and then make sure our robot is doable in every single owner's place. Well, Richard, I want to talk about a little bit about what you served me. You know, we went over and there was a robot that was dancing. I guess that's the coffee making robot. And then the delivery robot, right? And then you had a robot that actually made me fried rice and then the delivery robot delivered to me as I was sitting in a chair across the booth. Why don't you share a little bit about that whole fried rice delivery process? Oh, okay, so yeah, we have a robot that can memorize 100 recipes. So basically for the workers, they can just memorize a number and they can cook fried rice, fried chicken, whatever they can memorize it. So example, for the fried rice we display in six minutes, 30 pounds of fried rice have been cooked. So and then they would put it on the tray and then the delivery robot can deliver it to the guests on every single table. So it's an amazing experience for the show participants to enjoy it. So everybody tastes it and then everybody say, hey, that's the taste that's similar to a big chef, master chef. Exactly, and it was very good and very quick. I was just so impressed by how quick the fried rice was cooked and then delivered to me as I sat in the chair across the booth just to experience the whole process. Very, very, it was a very, very interesting. In Hawaii, is there anybody currently that has any robot technology in Hawaii currently? No, actually we're the first comment in the market. Yeah, actually we have the exclusive rice in Hawaii and Guam. Very nice, Richard, very nice. So we can expect to see your robots then not only at restaurants, but also like you said in hotels and even in bars and doing different things throughout the operations, correct? Yes. Very good, another message that I had received gentlemen from all of these emails and calls which is so greatly appreciated because feedback is so important and what we can do in 2023 and can we, should we get a bigger venue? Should we get a bigger location? Because I know we're gonna sell out more boots. This year we had 122 companies reserve over 200 boots. So every booth was taken as you could see and it was very well attended. I don't have how many people actually walk the shows yet but I am gonna be getting that statistic at our recap meeting coming up soon. Cisco was there in force. They had 28 boots, dominoes, they're awesome. They had boots there and they were giving a partial validation and also they delivered pizzas to all of the booth participants. People were flying in from as far as Japan and the Indonesian trade promotion company of Los Angeles flew in a lot of their furniture. It's an investment and I wanna speak to Joe first because Joe, I understand you're out of California that you flew in, was it three people from Daniel's Meets? Yes, we flew in three people. Right, and so Daniel's Meets flew in three people, they had to get hotel rooms, rental cars and so this is also a boost to Hawaii's economy. So we wanna thank you for making that investment. It's not only about the booth cost but it's also about the whole expense, right? To bring personnel in and the hotel and the rental car. Richard, I know you're from here but you brought in a team. So how many people did you fly in for the show? Yeah, we flew in four people from California and Las Vegas, you know, the tech people so they can do the demos, you know, smoke free. Very nice, very nice. So thank you gentlemen for that investment and I know many others, I spoke to those two people that flew in from Japan for their breads and it was very, their commitment was huge. You know, they were here looking for a distributor for their bread product and they were meeting with people in the evenings and out there, you know, sampling. So it was very, it was very well worth it for them. Something else that I didn't wanna talk about was the educational seminars at the HHRS. We also had numerous educational seminars and I had an opportunity to speak to some of the speakers and, you know, one of them was our Department of Health, Peter spoke, there was the Digivortex, Doug Harris spoke. So I don't know if the two of you had an opportunity to see any of the seminars. I did not, I did look at the program and there were some really good interesting topics to being discussed. I wanted to catch one of them but unfortunately, I wasn't able to. Yeah, you were busy working your booth, huh? Yes. How about you, Richard? Did you catch any of the seminars? Yes, I do. And actually I did a presentation myself too on the second days. And then it's a really good participation and also share, discuss with the audience about the robots. We, you know, so many audience about talking about, you know, they need the AI function of it and then we share all the future viewer how this delivered robot can help paying the restaurant owners and to making their management or supply more efficiently. Yeah, I really love it, yeah. Thank you, thank you for participating in the seminars. You know, educating, constantly educating our industry is something that the Hawaii Restaurant Association really works on. So as you all, as you two walked around the show and thank you because the two of you had new technology and new processes, especially Daniel's meets. Did you notice anything else that was new or anything else that was different that you've never seen before at a show? Well, well, like Richard's robots were something different I haven't seen. Here in California, there are some robotic waiters going around, but Richard has some nice dancing ones here too that were pretty fun to look at. But I think the future might be into the robotics. They're talking in here in California, they're in Los Angeles or they're talking a little a lot about that, you know, with unfortunately with the workforce and everything like that, it's helping, it will help labor out a little bit. I think the future is bright for that industry also. One thing I did see was Uncle Jim's plant-based wagyu which was quite surprisingly tasty. Being in the meat, real meat industry, you know, we kind of frowned upon plant-based things, but you know, we're open to everything and that was really, really tasty what he had. And plant-based products are gaining traction here and being a thing of the future here also. There was also the Pog, Sorbet Pog, which I haven't seen anywhere. I think it's a new item. So that's pretty nice. Thank you. That's what the show is all about, right? The latest, the greatest, the newest like yours, your process with the farms. You're right. I was gonna mention Uncle Jim. So thank you so much for mentioning Uncle Jim's because he actually delivered some to my booth and said, Cheryl, you need to taste this only because as you know, gentlemen, my husband is a vegetarian. So we're always looking for vegetarian vegan options. And so really and truly that steak was, you couldn't tell it was made out of vegetables and very impressive. And that was the theme, you know, through this show because I also saw a couple of other boots that had vegetarian offerings. And you're right, it is, as people are looking at options, that is a very popular trend. So Richard, did you see anything new or different at the show or did you even have a chance to walk away from your booth? I don't even have time to walk around. But it was, but it's an amazing experience like that Lieutenant Governors and Senators and Japanese counselors and, you know, movie mayors, you know, it's all at a booth talking with us. And, you know, it's just really amazing. We even have a state unemployment office. They were talking with us for almost an hour and thinking about using a robot to do the labor training for the, you know, so people are thinking about this new technology, how to help them. You know, this is so amazing, you know, it's a crazy experience for me. Well, I'm so glad because you are so correct. You know, not only did I see everyone from the Lieutenant Governor, from Mayor Blanchiarty, from Mayor Victorino who flew in from Maui, but so many people came to the show to check it out because this show really is the launching of our opening of our conventions. You know, proving that we could safely have these types of shows at this large capacity again, 200 booths at the convention center, and we can do it safely. And everyone there was just like you said, Joe's so happy to see everybody. You know, we are an industry. And as Joe mentioned, you know, Joe's been coming here to Hawaii for these types of shows for, is it over 10 years, Joe? Over 10 years now, yes. Yes, and this is our second show. We would have had two others, but of course the pandemic came, but this is our second show. So the first one was in 2019 and this one in 2022. So yes, you've been coming here very often. That's how well we've known each other all these years. And from the industry, you know, the contacts, the connections and the relationships is what's so important when you come to these shows. Right, Joe? You know, you've mentioned Uncle Jim who is also in the same industry that you are. Yes, yes. And not only at the show, but even after the show, going to dinner at some of these restaurants that we provide meat to and just talking to owners and chefs and just seeing the occupancy levels increasing. They're looking at 90% occupancy level pretty soon. So now they get to expand their menus more and open up more tables. So for the economy, that's really great in Hawaii. Yes, we're so excited for that, Joe. You're so right. We just, you know, everybody's so optimistic looking at what's the future brings. And right now we're getting ready for a huge summer. Spring break is over and we're getting ready for a huge summer. So everybody's gearing up and bringing employees in. So Joe, there was a picture that you took with a famous chef. And I wanted to, because I brought him over to your booth because I knew that you would be impressed. So do you want to share with our audience a little bit about what you and he talked about because I saw it was a private conversation. Yeah, so master chef food network star, Graham Elliott came by the booth and I'll just go over some of the items and meat items that I have here showing you in the Hawaii show. And he was impressed with the pasturais and the regenerative practices for animals. And yeah, he just took a good interest to it. And by myself, I'm always get start struck everywhere I go. I always show last month here in May, I took a picture with another chef. So I like having that in my repertoire a little bit. But yeah, Graham Elliott, chef at Pounders at the Polynesian Cultural Center. So he's a world renowned chef. So it's just nice to talk to somebody that comes by and you could show your products and he has an interest in it. Exactly. And if you send me that picture, I will get him to autograph it and send it back to you, Joe. Awesome, I would love to send. I would love that. I would do that for you. He was very impressed by the show. As you mentioned, he's over there at the Pounders restaurant at the Polynesian Cultural Center and really making it a destination restaurant. People have just been raving about his food. Gosh, I can't even remember guys, has it been a month? Has it been a month already? He was one of our featured chefs of Aloha at our Hall of Fame. And everybody was so impressed by his food offering. So yes, it's always nice to have government officials, celebrities, different chefs walking through. I don't know if you saw Chef Chai, gentlemen. Chef Chai was there. I got to hug Chef Chai. I haven't seen him in a while. He just opened a new restaurant in Waikiki. And I said, Chef, during a pandemic, when all the restaurants were struggling, here you are opening a new restaurant in Waikiki. And he said, Cheryl, that's what restaurateurs do. It's in their blood, right? They are entrepreneurs. And so he opened up Kalo, a new Hawaiian food restaurant right there in Kohio Avenue. So I got to speak with Chef Chai. So every restaurant tour, every restaurant owner that came by, they stopped by the Hawaii Restaurant Association booth just to say hi, because it's been two years that we haven't seen each other. It was just nice to see everybody again. And as I mentioned, the purpose of this conversation today was, was the HHRS, the Hawaii Hotel and Restaurant Show, wasn't valuable to the people who reserved booths, who made an investment, who flew in their staff or flew in themselves, rented hotel rooms and rental cars. Was it valuable? And what I'm hearing gentlemen is, was it valuable? Yes, it was. Yes, it was. It's just the excitement again. It's the excitement again. And when you think of Hawaii beaches and the sun, but Hawaii is coming up to be a great food destination also. There's some chefs that are really doing great things there and just having a creativity mind that's bringing different foods to Hawaii. If you look, I think now you have Texas barbecue now in Hawaii with sunset barbecue. That's something new and just different, different array of foods coming in there. You know, I did, I did have a conversation with the Lieutenant Governor. I forgot, that's a doctor, correct? He's, yes, yes. And he thanked us for being there, but he did say, and he shook my hand and he says, we will never close again. So I think that's some positivity and some outlook for the future of the industry. That is so, oh, thank you for saying that, Joe. You're right. You know, we've had many meetings with him and he's, he's constantly said the same thing that, you know, he understands how restaurants and businesses really suffered the last two years. And the trickle-down effect, how even for yourself, right? You supply the restaurants and the food service industry with your products and so how it affected you just like, like I said about the gentleman who texted me and said, you know, Cheryl, it was a rough two years and I made a commitment to reserve a booth even though financially it was very tough because it impacted himself, right? His wallet, but he said it was worth it. So worth it. He's glad he made that investment and reserved a booth. So 2023, I will be sending out the dates as soon as we book it. So I'm hoping that I can count on you two gentlemen to reserve booths in our show in 2023 as soon as I have the date. Definitely, definitely. Thank you. Thank you so much. Then in closing, again, my name is Cheryl Mazzuca, the executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association. The Hawaii Restaurant Association is the voice of Hawaii's restaurants and food service industry. Should you have any questions about a future show or anything, just email me at infoatHawaiiRestaurant.org. Thank you, everyone. Aloha. Aloha. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and donate to us at thinktechhawaii.com. Mahalo.