Page 5 - MidWeek Kauai - March 22, 2023

It’s Showtime For These Island Businesses
FROM PAGE 4
rant franchisee took it upon himself to learn more about what options are out there. Through his research, he discovered hospitality ro- bots and what they could do for his eateries and the industry as a whole.
and relationship together, then the sky’s the limit.”
“I think people are more engaged now than ever when looking at what plastics they have in their lives. They’re thinking, ‘Do I really need that? Can I do that differently?’” says Elkjer. “And if we all think that way, we’ll be able to reduce our plastic footprint, and the more we reduce it, the better off we all are.”
Thanks to the hard work of 350 employees, Island Distributing (previously known as Paradise Bever- ages) delivers a whopping 9 million cases to more than 2,400 customers every year.
MARCH 22, 2023 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK 5
“A company called Ken- non has robots that I really like and saw in some of the restaurants throughout Asia,” says Davenport, who is the franchisor for Subway in Hawai‘i as well as a franchisee for Ruby Tuesdays and Gyu-Kaku. “We started talking and they asked if I could help them out with distribu- tion.”
Long before any official ban on single-use plastics, John Elkjer was an advo- cate for more sustainable methods in local restau- rants and hotels.
“Our business began over 40
years ago
and was
As a partner of USA Ro- ng botics Services, Davenport S wants to make something clear: The robots aren’t lehere to replace people,
“It’s the next evolution of what we’ ve done,” says Gedeon. “We’ve created the foundation of our print services and graphics in- stallations services, like wall wraps, signage and all that, but building on top of that extra value is the other components.”
Hawai‘i Island-based Sustainable Island Products is a family-run statewide distributor of eco-friendly, compostable and recycla- ble alternatives to everyday single-use items, including cups, deli containers, cut- lery, plates, office paper, green janitorial supplies and more.
“Everybody has an op- portunity to make an impact on others, whether it’s your children, grandchildren or the community you live in,” he says. “We just felt that we could make a change in an industry that was heav- ily entrenched in petro- leum-based products. At a point in time, I wondered if we were crazy, but it seems to have worked out.”
JPG Hawai‘i remains a driving force in the graphic design, printing and installation industry in the islands. PHOTO COURTESY JPG HAWAI‘I
ployees — are doing the jobs that people don’t want to do. And they don’t call in sick either,” Davenport says with a laugh.
Jean-Paul Gedeon cred- its five magical words to his success: “What else do you need?”
Starting
outasa
teenager
printing
T-shirts
and stick-
ers in his
kitchen,
Gedeon
would ask clients if they needed help with anything beyond his expertise and, if feasible, he happily would oblige. Fast-forward 23 years later and his method seemed to have worked. Gedeon, along with his brothers Joe, Mark and Branden, own and operate a bustling business with a client list that includes gas stations, grocery and con- venience stores, shopping centers and more.
In its current form, JPG Hawai‘i is a full-service graphic design, printing and installation company based in Kaka‘ako. On top of that, the biz launched
“We al-
ways felt
it wasn’t
about us.
It’s about
a bigger
thing.
It’s more
about what
we do for our fellow man and what we do for the future,” says Elkjer, who purchased the business in 2015.
recently
acquired
by Reyes
Beverage
Group,”
shares
general manager John Er- ickson. “Our strength lies within our great local team and our amazing portfo- lio, which includes brands from national/worldwide suppliers like Molson Co- ors, Heineken, Constella- tion, Boston Beer Co. and Diageo, as well as many truly local brands like Maui Brewing Co., Ola Brew, Waikīkī Brewing Co., Alo- ha Beer Co. and others.”
SEE PAGE 7
Eco-friendly, recyclable items are always on the menu at Sustainable Island Products. PHOTO COURTESY SUSTAINABLE ISLAND PRODUCTS
two more divisions: JPG Media, which offers out- of-home advertising across a digital screen network, and JPG Facility Services Hawai‘i, which provides packages for companies looking to upgrade their space.
At the Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show, Elkjer looks forward to meeting and creating relationships with potential clients — that’s one of his favorite parts of the gig.
John Erickson
r.”contrary to popular belief. ill “I installed the robots d-to see how the employees ty,and management would onfeel about them — and they atlove them. They even have si-names for them,” he says, eirsmiling. “It takes the hard aywork of a waiter carrying a-food and cleaning a table. ntIf you look at the time it
Jean-Paul Gedeon
rs,customer. My goal is to edincrease customer service, ronot get rid of employees.”
“My brothers are ca- pable; they have unique abilities and they’re su- per talented, and working with people who have skin in the game and trust is a dream come true to us,” Gedeon shares, adding that the Waikīkī Rotary Club dubbed them the “Gedeon Golden Boys” more than 20 years ago.
At the Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show, attendees can expect to see a wide range of friendly robots that are capable of doing everything from bussing tables and singing happy birthday to delivering room service and vacuuming
“I don’t see anyone else I want to be a business part- ner with. As long as we stay straight about our business
The biz serves all islands and is eager to work with everyone from grocers and farmers to chefs and event planners, and everyone in between.
tolarge surface areas.
u- “The employees — I
always call the robots em-
John Elkjer
takes to run to the kitchen and come back, the waiter could be out there with the
Gedeon, a proud Kaiser High School grad, detests the opinion that family and business shouldn’t mix. In fact, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Most of the items are made from agricultural byproducts, like the aga- ve straws, which are made using materials from the tequila-making process. But don’t worry, these ar- en’t the type of straws that disintegrate within five minutes of sitting in liq- uid; Elkjer and his team thoroughly vet everything they sell to ensure optimal performance.
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