You can t beat it for freshness or taste, and being able to put local items on the menu is a draw. We had a lot of buyers here, said Hegele. Vendors had the chance to show off some new products to buyers and the public. Austin Persinger, a worker at Hana Herbs, was handing out samples. I ve been getting a mixed reaction.
Some people really like it, but some are scared to be eating ferns.
Most people like it, he said. Maui Jelly Factory president Mike Kilinski felt pressured to come up with a few new products for the show. It s less than 24 hours old, so we were cutting it close on this one, he laughed. Our crew put their heads together and this is what they came up with. We re gonna buy some of that, he said.