Pat Novak, the company's president, says he chose Hawaii as a base of the company's operations because of the water quality.
"I chose Honolulu as it's close to Asia -- and more important than that, the water here has the perfect pH balance for our products," Novak says. "And since water is 30 percent of the ingredients of baked goods, it contributes to the quality element of the final product."
Novak, a native of central France, came to Hawaii in 1983. A year later he started French Gourmet, a company that today has annual revenue of more than $10 million.
"Initially it was very difficult," Novak says. "The state is anti-business and doesn't want to give you a break."
He adds that the state didn't offer tax breaks for small businesses then. But the company's fortunes changed when it joined the Market Access Program of the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1993.
"They provided a lot of resources and assistance to export," Novak says.
The company, prior to that, began to export to Guam as a test market in 1990. With SBA support Novak planned his entry into the Asian market.
"There's no magic formula," Novak says. "I had to roll my sleeves and market my products in every restaurant and country I sell in."
Exports account for 35 percent of the company's sales, mainland sales 40 percent and local sales 25 percent, he says.
The company's factory in Iwilei produces an average of20,000 pieces or 2 tons per hour. The processing facility memploys 65 people and is spread over 30,000 square feet.
Source: Pacific News Wire
