Berad Originals

Made Fresh

Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone has a chance to tell that story.

MADE FRESH: MYLEN YAMAMOTO + CROPSTICKS

Entrepreneurs don’t wait for opportunities to find them, they seek out success and double down when inspiration hits. Hometown hero Mylen Yamamoto never set out to be an entrepreneur, but when the Cropsticks lightbulb went on, there was no stopping her.

Great inventors often have an innovative “What”, the best creators pair that with an intrinsic “Why”. That magical combination is what makes Cropsticks more than just a helpful and thoughtful product, but a conscious creation for a greener future.

For more information about Cropsticks and their vision: https://cropsticks.co/

Made Fresh: Hannah Tomita

Part of doing something fresh and original is stepping out in faith and doing something that no one has done before, but breaking away from tradition and convention can be especially difficult for Asian Americans. Many Asian parents encourage traditional vocations and financial stability over pursuing a career of passion which was the case for Hannah Tomita.

Made Fresh: Nakamura Mochi Pounding

Mochi is an internationally enjoyed Japanese food made from steamed, pounded and formed balls of rice. Over the centuries, it’s become a product of mass production made by machines rather than men and women.

Made Fresh: Erin Kanno Uehara

This episode of Made Fresh features Mililani native, chocoholic Erin Kanno Uehara. A few years back, Erin found a way to turn a divine appointment into a truffle-filled career when she co-founded Choco le’a LLC (a boutique chocolate shop in Manoa, Hawaii) with her family.

Made Fresh: Raina Amey

This episode of Made Fresh features Kauai-born, Kailua resident Raina Amey. As the daughter of a single father, who was a woodworking construction worker by trade, it was no wonder that Raina found a passion for crafting works of art from planks of wood.

Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone has a chance to tell that story. Made Fresh was first dreamt up by director Brad Watanabe as a result of losing his grandfather to a medical complication following a “routine” surgery. He never had a chance to capture the story of his pineapple growing, golf club swinging, fisherman of a grandfather before he passed away. As a result, documenting untold stories of people who might never have their stories told became a personal passion of his, and Made Fresh was born.

This is a series devoted to those who are making fresh and amazing things or doing traditional things in a fresh and innovative way. If you know any makers that need to have their story told, please email us with a brief synopsis of the fresh maker you have in mind. madefresh@beradstudio.com