Kahiki Media Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Kahiki Foods is the leading manufacturer of restaurant quality Asian frozen foods. Kahiki Foods is committed to delivering innovative, restaurant quality Asian frozen foods to customers. Kahiki Foods produces restaurant quality products that can be found in retail grocery stores, membership warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and foodservice operations. Kahiki serves only great tasting foods made from the freshest ingredients. Kahiki Foods is also committed to protecting the environment by recycling all paper materials and having local farmers recycle cooking oils by turning them into bio-diesel fuel.

When was the Kahiki Foods Naturals line introduced? Kahiki Foods introduced their Naturals line in mid- 2007, making them the first frozen food manufacturer to launch a full line of Asian entrees and appetizers in the natural/organic frozen category. The line was developed in response to consumer demand for Asian frozen meals that include "taste", "quality", "value" and are "healthy/good for you."

The Kahiki Foods Naturals line includes five delicious items that range from 9.5 to 9.75 ounces, have a suggested retail price of $4.99, and are packaged in 100% recycled cardboard. The line includes:

• General Tso’s Chicken with Hibachi Fire-Grilled Antibiotic-free Chicken, served with Brown Rice
• Mandarin Orange Chicken with Hibachi Fire-Grilled Antibiotic-free Chicken, served with Brown Rice
• Szechuan Peppercorn Beef with Coleman(R)-brand Fire-Grilled All-Natural Beef, served with Brown Rice
• Teriyaki Mixed Vegetables, a 5-vibrant color vegetable mix served with Brown Rice and Teriyaki Sauce
• Vegetable Egg Roll with a healthful Flaxseed wrapper in an EasyCrisp™ sleeve
• Chicken Egg Roll with a healthful Flaxseed wrapper in an EasyCrisp™ sleeve

Kahiki Foods has always ranked very high with consumers in regards to taste and quality, but with the Naturals line, Kahiki Foods is now equally able to satisfy the health-conscious consumer with restaurant quality foods that taste great and are healthy as well. The Kahiki Foods Naturals line also satisfies the consumer demand for restaurant quality Asian cuisine that can be made at home. Research shows that 1 in 2 consumers are looking for more frozen Asian cuisine, and Kahiki Foods is working to satisfy that need.

Company Timeline

Company History

Kahiki Foods’ founder, Michael Tsao, believed that every American should experience the food and culture of Kahiki Foods. He wanted to take Kahiki to the masses and do it in the freshest way possible. Because frozen food is immediately preserved after it is prepared, he believed this was the best path. Kahiki Foods has continued that vision in everything they do.

Today, Kahiki Foods produces a over 70 products that can be found in retail grocery stores, membership warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and foodservice operations. Kahiki products have become so popular that the Kahiki kitchen has expanded to a 119,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility!

Kahiki Foods’ year-over-year growth has been consistent and significant. In an industry that grows between 3-4%, Kahiki grew 22%, respectively for fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2006.

Kahiki Foods’ customer commitment is simple: serve the highest quality foods made from the freshest ingredients. Authentic, convenient, great tasting foods –this is what Kahiki symbolizes. And Kahiki Foods never adds MSG to their foods.

Executive Biographies

Alan Hoover joined Kahiki Foods in 1999 as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, and in November 2005, he was named President & COO. Prior to joining the team at Kahiki Foods, Hoover spent 21 years in the food packaging business with Sonoco Products, International Paper, and Pactiv. Hoover has led the company’s adoption of Lean/Six Sigma manufacturing practices, the development of the Kahiki Performance System, and its entry into the Natural & Organic business.

Hoover served on Kahiki’s Board of Directors for several years. He also serves on the Board of Directors for The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association and is Chair of the Small Business Manufacturers Committee. Hoover is also an Advisory Board member for Coalescence, a minority-owned dry blending company based in Gahanna, Ohio.

Hoover received his M.B.A in Financial Management from Benedictine University and a B.S. in Administrative Management from Clemson University.

Tim Tsao joined Kahiki Foods in 2006 and serves as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. With 12 years of experience, Tsao leads the Kahiki team in the areas of sales, marketing and strategy. He presently leads a national sales and broker team responsible for delivering profitable sales growth and penetrating new markets.

Previously, Tsao has held positions at IBM, including: Brand strategist for IBM Americas and Worldwide Marketing Manager. He also held sales and marketing positions with Infogain, Sterling Commerce, KPMG and Bank One.

Tsao has an M.B.A. from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a B.A. in International Business and Economics from the University of Dayton. He is a member of the Promotions committee of the National Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Association and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Columbus Opera.

Jeff Tsao joined Kahiki Foods in 2004 as the Research and Development Director. He has 10 years of experience with menu and food product development. Tsao began his career with Kahiki Foods at the age of 13 and spent time during high school and college working at the Kahiki restaurant part-time. In 2000, as the Executive Chef of Kahiki, Tsao closed the restaurant doors for the last time, signaling the transition from a restaurant that produced frozen foods to Kahiki Foods, the nation’s premier Asian frozen food company.

Tsao is currently getting his M.B.A. at The Ohio State University through its executive education program. He is a dean’s list graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and received his B.A. in Psychology at The Ohio State University.

Mark Novak joined Kahiki Foods in February 2005 as Director of Purchasing. Novak has been in the industry since 1972, splitting his time between distribution and manufacturing, managing purchasing and operations. At Kahiki he is responsible for the implementation of lean practices on the floor and procurement. Additionally, he led the conversion of the company’s information system from spreadsheets to Compass. He is responsible for the ongoing conversion of Kahiki to an effective, low cost and high quality operation.

Mark Novak attended the Hillsdale College and Franklin University, receiving an Associates Degree in Accounting, while working in public warehousing. While managing Marketing for a specialty foods distributor, he earned Purchasing Manager certification from NAPM.

Fred Niebauer started with Kahiki Foods in January 2006 as the Chief Financial Officer. With over 35 years of experience in accounting and finance, he is responsible for coaching the accounting staff so they can consistently report results in a fair manner, provide accurate information to management, monitor and improve cash flows and grow in value as individuals. Previously, Niebauer was an auditor on the staff of Ernst & Ernst, and then he held accounting and financial positions in several manufacturers in the Columbus area, most recently as CFO of Halcore Group, the largest ambulance manufacturer in the country.

Niebauer obtained his CPA while at Ernst & Ernst. He received his undergraduate degree in Accounting from Gannon University and an M.B.A. from the University of Dayton.

Gil Wilson joined Kahiki Foods in May 2002 and has over 19 years of experience in the packaged foods industry. At Kahiki, he is responsible for managing sales and promotions at many of the top accounts in the company, including Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Kroger and Safeway. Prior to joining the team at Kahiki Foods, Wilson served as a Regional Sales manager with Heinz/Ore-Ida Foods, where he managed a $50 million sales budget and a $5 million marketing budget.

Wilson holds a B.S. in Business from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and is a member of the Westerville South High School Athletic Boosters Board.