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From left: Marcia Sakai, Jordan Kamimura and Kalei Rapoza at the rollout event of the Teapresso Bar concession. (Photo credit: Raiatea Arcuri)

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s new Teapresso Bar concession will provide more drink options for students on campus as well as help fund the new Hale Paʻi ʻAi food pantry program for students with food insecurities. The Teapresso Bar concession, located on the Library Lanai, will be open for business on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

UH Hilo’s students, faculty and staff gathered on March 13 to try free samples of Teapresso boba tea and lemonade drinks at the Pop Up for Hunger tasting event.

Interim Chancellor Marcia Sakai and Interim Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Kalei Rapoza helped serve 1,000 beverage samples of some of the flavors that will be available at the concession including taro milk tea, milk tea and organic lemonade.

teapresso bar tasting event
Teapresso Bar tasting event March 13, Library Lanai, UH Hilo. (Photo credit: Raiatea Arcuri)

“Bringing Teapresso to campus is an exciting new thing for students,” said Rapoza. “It will be another beverage option on campus in response to what students like. But it’s also supporting the Pop Up for Hunger program, which is part of an overall vision to create as much of a positive environment for students. That includes academic support, administrative support and student support services.”

The Pop Up for Hunger program, the Teapresso Bar concession and the tasting event were conceptualized by UH Hilo business major Jordan Kamimura as part of a class assignment.

“It was part of his Business 400 Internship class to think of ideas to develop an innovative program that has an immediate benefit to students but also has a way to address food insecurity,” said Rapoza.

A portion of UH Hilo’s Pop Up for Hunger program revenue will fund the purchase of food items for the Hale Paʻi ʻAi pantry program. The goal is to have more concessions participate in the future to create more diverse choices and continue to support students with food insecurities.

To read the full story see UH Hilo Stories.

–Written by Alyssa Mathews, a freshman at UH Hilo planning to major in business..

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