More than 80 local companies showcased 2,000 products from cookies and coffee to biodegradable paper goods and toilet deodorizing drops at yesterday's American Logistics Association Hawaii Food Expo.

The goal for each business was to impress the 20 buyers and representatives from the Defense Commissary Agency who were on hand to select a variety of products to stock the shelves of commissaries and exchanges in Hawai'i and across the world.

The expo has been held here since 1998 and gives companies an opportunity to display their goods at one venue. Last year, the DCA selected 37 firms and 169 items to be sold at U.S. military stores on O'ahu, the Mainland, and in foreign countries.

The DCA grosses more than $5.5 billion annually and Hawai'i businesses account for more than $200 million in sales. With that much at stake, a growing number of local firms has been clamoring for the chance to be at the annual expo.

The first show drew 12 companies, while yesterday's event attracted a record 81 businesses and 2,000 items. More than 20 companies had to be turned down because of the space limitations at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.

Richard Page, DCA chief operating officer, came up with the idea for the expo when he was in charge of the O'ahu commissaries in the late 1990s.

"I saw so many local companies and all they needed was a chance," Page said. "But they needed a forum to not only be able to present their products, but to also have an opportunity to have a training class on how to do business with the government, and how to do business with the retail supermarket industry because we're a part of that industry."

For businesses such as Sushi Chef, which was making its first appearance at the expo, getting its line of products in O'ahu's five commissaries would be a boon for business. Dean Matsushima, Sushi Chef sales and marketing director, said his company already has its sushi, manapua and other food items in 200 retailers, but he has the capability of producing much more.

"It would be a tremendous boost for our sushi lines," Matsushima said. "Because we're a totally mechanized sushi plant, even our manapua is mechanized, the more volume we get overall of course the more profit we'll get."

Trisha and William Edwards also were at their first expo yesterday. They own a flooring company, but were pitching their The Drops toilet deodorizer product and were drawing an enthusiastic crowd to their booth.

The Edwardses already have The Drops in local commissaries, but are hoping to convince DCA buyers to pick up a new travel-size bottle for the stores. The formula for The Drops was created by Trisha Edwards, and the couple manufacturers and packages the product locally.

"They seem very interested in it. A lot of them know about our products already and they've been responsive," Trisha Edwards said of the buyers. "It's a funny product to talk about. It's a little embarrassing, so we've got to make it funny so they laugh."

For veteran expo exhibitors like Jim Wayman, president of Hawaii Coffee Co., coming up with new and fresh ideas is a major challenge. Hawaii Coffee was at the first food show 10 years ago and this year came out with a new way to package its Lion and Royal Kona coffees to meet the desires of commissary officials.

"If you're responsive to your customer in providing value and a good benefit, you'll proliferate and grow," Wayman said. "With different tastes and desires, you've got to read them and do your marketing and try to understand who they are and what they want. If you can do that at a value, then you're going to succeed."

Wayman said commissary sales account for about 5 percent of Hawaii Coffee's annual sales. He said that makes the Defense Commissary Agency the company's largest single customer based on sales.

Page said business owners will know by Monday if they've been selected. But for those who aren't, their experience at the expo should be a positive one, he said.

"After the show is over, we meet with every company one-on-one and our buyers meet with them and say, 'This is why your product was picked up' and explain the process," Page said. "But they also go through and say, 'This is why your company was not picked up and this is what you need to do to improve.' We offer them an opportunity to engage with us in the year to come. So it's not about the one day."