This past week, MKThink’s Lila Edwards and Chris Hong presented at the Hawaiʻi School Food Services Summit, discussing their progress and work with the Hawaii Kitchen Inspection Tool (HI-KIT). HI-KIT is a statewide database that enables Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) leaders to take a systems-level approach to improving meal delivery statewide.
During the pandemic, kitchen managers across Hawaii kept their kitchens open, as the majority of children were fed through the school food services program. Recognizing the critical role these kitchens played, especially in remote areas like the island of Molokaʻi, funds were allocated to ensure kitchen appliances received the necessary maintenance.
In 2022, the School Food Services Branch (SFSB) commissioned MKThink to provide recommendations for improving HIDOE kitchens, aiming to ensure consistent, high-quality, nutritious meals for all district students. MKThink formulated key questions to guide their efforts:
What equipment and furnishings currently exist across the school cafeterias?
What is the condition of the current equipment and furnishings?
What strategies can SFSB employ to improve kitchen conditions and operations across the state?
To address these questions, MKThink surveyed and evaluated equipment conditions in kitchens serving 256 state public schools. They assessed over 33,000 pieces of equipment and furniture, recording their conditions and specifications using a 1-4 rating system with 4 as good, 3 as fair, 2 as poor, and 1 as critical. Results are uploaded onto the HI-KIT database, created by MKThink and RoundhouseOne, that centralizes student health with vital information for prioritization and investment in kitchen facility improvement projects statewide. This data has enabled the development of key insights, cost models, and scenarios related to the district’s current conditions, kitchen types, and performance.
Our team has been diligently working to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of food services for state public schools, ensuring that every student has access to nutritious meals.
Do you think a tool like HI-KIT could help your school district? Contact us here.
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