A Hawaii chip maker is launching a University of Hawaii-branded snack mix at Saturday's Warriors home opener, a small but positive win for a local food business and its interns.

• Hawaii Chip Company is rolling out a Manoa Mix that blends its purple sweet potato chips with kettle-cooked potato chips, made under a licensing deal with UH Manoa.
• The mix goes on sale at concessions during Saturday's game at the Ching Complex, putting the brand in front of thousands of fans at once.
• The sweet potatoes come from the Big Island, part of the company's push to use local produce wherever it can.
• The whole product, including the licensing deal with the university, was a project handed to a summer intern.
• The company is also hiring for paid fall internships at $22 an hour, and sells the mix at its Kalihi factory store and select local retailers.

Outlook: If the game-day launch sells well, expect the Manoa Mix to spread to more stores and future UH events.