LEGACY

Mamoru (right) & Aiko Takitani

Mamoru Takitani was born on July 21, 1912 in Yamaguchi, Japan and later came to Hawaii where he attended St. Anthony's High School on Maui. In 1936 he married Aiko in Wailuku.

The Takitanis relocated to Honolulu where Mamoru founded Hawaiian Host - Ellen Dye Candies on January 1, 1960. From its humble beginnings on Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki, the business grew and moved into new ventures resulting in greater production, expansion into papaya farming, and the establishment of retail and restaurant operations. Under Mr. Takitani's leadership, the Company grew and expanded its activities to Los Angeles, Brazil, and Japan.

Hard work, innovation, and commitment to excellence are qualities that enabled Hawaiian Host to become a successful corporation.

Although Mr. Takitani passed away in 1988, the Company has continued to prosper. It was his desire to share and in some way "give back" to the local community, and he and Mrs. Takitani established the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation to provide scholarships to benefit the young people of our State - winners who embody the standards of quality and excellence that the Takitanis lived by.