It was while visiting his grandmother (ahma) in Maui, Hawaii, that 9-year-old Kekai Keala learned to make Hawaiian ice cakes. On those warm summer days, his ahma taught Keala the cherished homemade recipe. The ice cup treat was more than just a refreshing snack; it embodied the spirit of Aloha, making it truly special. It represented a lifestyle to share and a reminder to live with love, respect and compassion for everyone.

“When I came back to Utah from Hawaii the summer, I turned 9, I started selling Kai Pops at my brother’s football games,” Kekai Keala said. “I made them myself.” (Photo courtesy Aisha Keala)

“When I came back to Utah from Hawaii, the summer I turned 9, I started selling Kai Pops at my brother’s football games,” Keala said. “I made them myself. I funneled the ingredients from Ahma’s recipe into Ziploc bags, sealed the bags, and froze them, making the perfect freezer pop ‘Aloha style.’” 

A year after he started selling the freezer pops, COVID hit, and his family (‘ohana) became involved, going straight to online sales. His Kai Pop success story didn't stop there. Someone from Swig bought a Kai Pop, tasted it, and then called Keala to offer him a business deal.  

“Swig wanted to sell my Kai Pops, and so, we hired a manufacturer and a co-packer to mass produce them,” Keala said. “I went from making 100 Kai Pops here and there on my own to producing 250,000 at a time with a manufacturer. I sold with Swig for a year, and then my ‘ohana decided to invest in a food truck trailer instead of continuing with mass production. We have been selling online and out of the food truck ever since.”

Keala’s family now mass produces Kai Pops at a commercial kitchen in Springville, Utah. Every year, the company provides approximately 167 dozen freezer pops for the University of Utah Employee Appreciation Day. They also offer upper-number deliveries to special corporate events, weddings, birthday parties and golf courses. 

“Kekai has two brothers, Kaluna, who is 18, and Kalama, who is 8. The three boys love working together, running the business. They are learning a lot of important life skills,” Kekai’s mom, Aisha, said. “I think one day Kekai and his older brother will take over the business and expand it. Kaluna just graduated from high school with an associate's degree. He’s going to the Marshall Islands to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When he returns, he plans to attend college and major in business. We always say Kekai is the creator, the founder, and the face of the company, and Kaluna is great with the business side.”

At this point, you may be curious to know what makes a Kai Pop a better choice than a regular freezer pop or even a Popsicle.

“Since I’m only 14, my dad drives the food truck, and whenever we have an event, we post on Instagram. You can also find us at golf tournaments, food truck roundups and carnivals,” said Kekai Keala, founder of Kai Pops. (Photo courtesy Aisha Keala)

“A Kai Pop is unique because we have island flavors instead of the regular flavors usually available in Popsicles and Kai Pops are creamy and gluten free,” Keala said. “We make six flavors. Coconut and pineapple are my favorite because they are fruity, and I like those fruits in general. Malona tastes like honeydew melon and used to be my favorite, but my taste buds kinda changed. Lychee, some people say, tastes like a mix of a watermelon and a pear. It’s my mom’s favorite flavor. Additionally, we make Hawaiian Punch and mango flavors. Kai Pops are a once-in-a-lifetime freezer treat. Once you try one, you’ll never go back to the other ones.”

Kai Pops are available for online purchase with in-store pickup. The food truck travels throughout Utah and is in Salt Lake once a week. Keala says, “Since I’m only 14, my dad drives the food truck, and whenever we have an event, we post on Instagram. You can also find us at golf tournaments, food truck roundups and carnivals. We usually have two or three events a week during the summer, and then it slows down during the winter.”

Keala plays soccer for the Utah Celtic soccer club out of Orem, and he still travels to Hawaii a couple of times a year. While there, he enjoys spending his days on Maui surfing the ocean's rolling waves until sunset. 

“My ahma is now gone. When I travel to Hawaii, I stay with my uncles and aunts,” Keala said. “Kai Pops carries on ahma’s legacy of always remembering to 'Share the Aloha.’” 

When asked what the secret ingredient is that makes the freezer pops so delicious, “It’s the Aloha,” Keala says with a huge smile. “My ahma taught me that, and it comes in every Kai Pop!”

To order Kai Pops on-line visit www.kaipops.com/.

For Kai Pops food truck schedule, visit Instagram @Kai_Pops