In The News: Department of education
Segment: Various – see full list below
Featuring: Executive Director (Brian Miyamoto)
Posted on: Thursday, January 29, 2026
AINA Kitchen Network facility groundbreaking for Phase I held on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
(Photo courtesy of the Hawaii State Department of Education and photographer Edgar Ambrosio)
On Thursday, January 29, 2026, Executive Director, Brian Miyamoto, joined state and local leaders at the site of the new regional centralized kitchen for its groundbreaking for the 1st phase of construction. The AINA Kitchen Network facility aims to incorporate more locally grown produce and modernize the school meal preparation process.
Agricultural industry leaders have suggested that this network can influence producers, both farmers and ranchers, across the state to invest growing crops and raising livestock on a larger scale to meet the demand. Brian mentioned in his talk that the regional kitchen “..creates dependable, large-scale demand for local fruits, vegetables, cultural crops, meats, eggs, seafood, and value-added foods while making it easier for the DOE to buy local, for keiki to enjoy healthier, fresher meals and setting the model for other institutional purchases.”
Digital rendering of the facility at the groundbreaking ceremony.
(Photo courtesy of the Hawaii State Department of Education and photographer Edgar Ambrosio)
Subsequent phases will be based on legislative funding. Below is the current projected phase schedule:
Phase I – Initial construction of an 18,000-square-foot facility with the capacity of 12,000 meals per shift (up to 24,000 meals with two shifts)
Phase II – Expansion of existing facility to 30,000 square feet and increasing meal production to 20,000 meals per shift (up to 40,000 with two shifts)
Phase III – Final expansion of the facility to 45,000 square feet and increasing meal production to 30,000 meals per shift (up to 60,000 with two shifts)
After Phase III, the regional kitchen aims to serve both Central and West Oahu which accounts for 86 campuses. This facility is a part a larger project, the Central Oahu Agriculture and Food Hub, which is managed by the Agribusiness Development Corporation. The project supports the local agricultural industry through providing multiple services – including aggregation, processing, storage, marketing, and distribution – to farmers and entrepreneurs.
Phase I set to be completed by June 2027 prior to the 2027-2028 academic year. Once this phase is complete, the complex will begin service to the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area fall of 2027. Please note that this may change as a result of funding and delays in construction.
All credit belongs to the Department of Education.
A list of articles that mention Executive Director, Brian Miyamoto. This list was curated on February 2, 206, and may not include the full list of articles.
-DOE, First AINA Kitchen Network facility breaks ground to create centralized kitchen to prepare, distribute school meals (Jan 29, 2026)
-Spectrum News, The 1st AINA kitchen facility will serve students in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area (Jan 29, 2026)