Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 9, 1 September 2000 — Hawaiian business serves up inclusion in Fastest 50 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian business serves up inclusion in Fastest 50

By Nanette P u t n e I I fRANCIS AHN'S Wai'ala Ine., a loeal distributor for several national brands of frozen beverage and soft-serve products, is one of Hawai'i's "Fastest 50" growing companies. Ahn was recently honored with a Ho'oulu Award, sponsored by Pacific Business News, First Hawaiian Bank and Price Waterhouse Coopers, for his exceptional business aeumen. Wai'ala, with a growth rate of 153.35 percent between 1997 and 1999, ranked 2 Adi974 gradu- "We've corrte a long ate of Castie way since we first High schooi, started but we still Ahn, along with J-,ave a |onp way t0 pQ h„c^efc We woua like to see business partner TT Noeia Napoieon, more Hawanans īn Kailua's class of small business. 1982 and Uni- There's so mueh versityof potential." Hawai ī s class r_ of 1987, went into business four years ago after he left another distributorship where he had worked as a technician and manager. Operating out of their home, the eouple started their venture with small family loans and a few granita machines that needed repairs. Ahn fixed them and opened a beverage maehine repair business whieh

expanded as he repaired more machines he rented to retailers. "Those were challenging times," Napoleon recalled. "We set up my computer and second-hand fax maehine in the living room and stored products in a small shed in the back yard." With no start-up capital, the company turned a profit in its first year, and the eouple decided to rent warehouse space in a public storage rental facility. "We were in a big open space on the entry level of the building with no walls or security," Ahn said. "We had to count our inventory every morning to make sure nobody had taken anything overnight. It's funny to think about now, but that was a big step for us." Ayear later, after securing several key manufacturers' distributorships and expanding their product lines to include soft-serve iee cream and other specialty beverages, the eouple moved the eompany headquarters to Ward Industrial Center in Kaka'ako. This space includes an office, a warehouse and a secured play area for their three young children, 'Aiku'e, Kekahu and 'Opu'u. Like other companies, Ahn says his has had its share of tough times, but he has been determined to stay in business and help his customers make money. He attributes the company's success to a "customer first" philosophy. "We try to instill in our employees a sense of 'ohana and pride in providing the best service we ean to our customers. We have been criticized for not being aggressive enough, but neither of us likes hard sell tactics. In the end, it is our customer service that makes us stand our among the competition."

Earlier this year, this philosophy paid off with a major contract as the exclusive distributor for Slush Puppie Brands. The company is also pushing its party, fundraiser and special event rental packages, whieh include slush and soft-serve machines, a generator and tent, tables and staff. "We've eome a long way since we first started," said Ahn, "but we still have a long way to go." "I would like to see more Hawaiians in small business," said Napoleon. "There's so mueh potential." Nannette Pumell is an O 'ahu-based freelance writer. ■

Business partners Francis Ahn and Noela Napoleon are the winning combination that catapulted Wai'ala ine., their frozen beverage and soft-serve products distributorship, into the "Fastest 50."

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