OnoPops was founded by two local haole brothers who grew up loving the food of their island home, and saw a great way to help the people of Oahu cool

off on a hot day with a tasty treat.

The project began when Joe and his wife Jessica first tasted paletas made by foodies on the East coast while on vacation visiting Jessica's cousins.  

The flavor combinations were so ono, and the line was out the door.  They left the shop with a clear vision:  "We gotta do this in Honolulu."  

On his return from Hawaii, Joe called his brother Josh, wanting to recruit the food professional in the family,  and left a hilarious, rambling message, 

declaring "It's really time to start thinking about Popsicles."

At first Josh thought the idea was crazy.  But as the weak economy plodded on in the Summer of '09, claiming as one of its victims the San Francisco restaurant 

where he worked, Josh began to see the wisdom of the prospect, and began directing his culinary curiosity toward researching the paleta, its noble Mexican 

heritage and the current craze for them in Southern California, the South and even in New York City.  He saw that Joe and Jessica had been absolutely right, 

not only that it would be a great addition to the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine scene, but that the time to do it was NOW.

Scraping together investment from friends and family, Josh and Joe (with Jessica bowing out of full partnership due to her work schedule and duties as an 

awesome mom to our favorite test marketing subjects) embarked on a five month journey to get the machines that would make the paletas delicious and 

professional in their final textures and flavors.  They test batched 37 different flavors inspired by Hawaii's rich culinary heritage, began developing relationships 

with local growers and dairies, and found an excellent commercial kitchen in the old unused cafeteria at the Japanese American Institue for Management Science

in Hawaii Kai.

We feel very privileged to be able to bring this new frozen confection to our island home.  You can read a little more about us below...or come on out to the 

farmer's market and talk story with us yourself!

Joseph W. Welch

A graduate of Punahou School and Oregon State University, Joe now protects Oahu citizens from the travails of disaster as one of Honolulu Fire Department’s finest.  

As a distinguished fire house chef and long-time blender-master smoothie maker, he brings an excellent sense of the local palate to the table.  Joe’s avid interest in 

botany and gardening gives him an understanding of the fruit growers vital to this company’s success.  Perhaps most importantly, he has the best live-in test 

marketing resource anyone might want -- two wonderful, popsicle-loving daughters.

Joshua D. Lanthier-Welch

Also a Punahou alumnus, Josh went on to get B.A.’s in English Literature and Studio Art from U.C. Berkeley, and an M.F.A in Screenwriting from Columbia University 

in New York.  While intermittently working white collar jobs in academic development, distance learning and several stints in videogame industry, Josh never 

strayed too far from his abiding passion for food and drink.  As fine dining server, bartender, caterer, chef for a roving supper club, and dinner party guru, 

Josh developed a highly attuned sense of how to amuse and surprise people’s mouths.