PAC Supported the documentary film, Ketchup and M&M’s that aired on Monday, May 17 on Hawaii News Now.

On March 21, 2020, as Hawaii shutdown for the COVID-19 pandemic, residents lost jobs and were forced to stand in long lines for food to feed their families. Waves of panic buying and hoarding stripped supermarket shelves. But our fragile daily food supply seemed to hold up. Behind the scenes Hawaii food distributors scrambled to keep up with the needs. Pacific Air Cargo was there to bring in food and supplies quickly.

What was revealed in looking into our food insecurities, was just how ill prepared we are in Hawaii for natural disasters or any disruption in our food distribution chain. Hawaii simply does not produce enough fresh produce to feed our residents. 

Because over 90% of our food comes from the mainland, a disruption in that food distribution chain is devastating. Normally, tons of fresh produce are shipped by sea in refrigerated containers and in on commercial aircraft as well as cargo planes. With the no-travel policies, commercial airline flights were extremely limited. Pacific Air Cargo stepped up operations to help fill the void.

The documentary discusses worldwide food insecurity, sustainability and the effects of plant-based diets on ending food scarcity. Click the button below to see what Hawaii can do to create a sustainable solution.

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