The U.S. Senate is officially recognizing Hawaiian food next week as part of a national promotion that created National Hawaiian Foods Week.

U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, of Hawaii, along with Republican senators from Georgia, co-sponsored a bi-partisan resolution to designate the week of June 12 to honor Hawaii’s contributions to the culinary heritage of the United States and raise awareness of Hawaiian foods.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to introduce Hawaii’s favorite dishes to the rest of the country,” said Schatz, in a news release from Kings Hawaiian. “Sharing the foods we’ve grown up with is integral to sharing the very culture of our state.”

The resolution states that Hawaii’s cuisine is characterized by a unique fusion of flavors from French Polynesia, China, Japan, Portugal, Korea, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Samoa and others.

King’s Hawaiian, Dole, Mauna Loa, Kona Brewing Company and Spam are sponsoring promotions in grocery stores during the week.

“We appreciate the Senate for recognizing the irresistible cuisine and culture of Hawaii on a national level,” said Mark Taira, chief executive officer of King’s Hawaiian.. King’s Hawaiian is a food company founded in Hilo in 1950, with bakeries in California and, since 2011, also in Georgia.

A website created for the week, http://www.hawaiianfoodsweek.com has information, recipes, and companies supporting the resolution. A recipe contest offers people a chance to win a trip to the islands for the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival.