The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation today donated an additional $2.5 million to the University of Hawaii’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head to support culinary education, bringing its total support to $3.6 million.

In 2017, the foundation donated $1.1 million to the Culinary Institute to support its facilities and programs.

In recognition of their generous support, the institute is naming its innovation center building the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Innovation Center.

“This gift is helping create a unique world-class home for one of UH’s signature programs, the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP),” said UH President David Lassner in a news release. “The CIP will change the lives of UH students from multiple campuses across the island, will help meet the workforce needs of our own hospitality community, and will be a shining beacon for Hawaii’s leadership in culinary innovation and excellence. The full CIP vision is now becoming a reality thanks to the dedication and generous support of the state, community partners and donors like our friends at the Takitani Foundation, who have graced us again with their incredible generosity.”

Mamoru and Aiko Takitani, the founders of Hawaiian Host chocolate macadamia nuts, created the Takitani Foundation in 1993 to help Hawaii students achieve their educational and career goals. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded scholarships to Hawaii students who exemplify the qualities of hard work, high academic achievement, commitment to excellence, and community service, which are values that the Takitanis lived by.

The foundation has provided more than $5.4 million in scholarships and grants in Hawaii, and has also been a key funder of the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) program at the Shidler College of Business, as well as the “13th year” programs for students in need of support at Windward and Honolulu Community Colleges.