OUR STORY

Ono gelato is owned and operated by three friends, Valerie, Melissa and Stefano. The three previously owned and operated a popular, fine European bakery in the heart of Victoria, British Columbia. With five locations and 100 employees vacations to Maui became a regular escape from the demands of a 24-7 operation. It was on a tasting tour of Hana’s Ono Organic Farms in 2006, that the idea of combining fresh Hawaiian fruits with the traditional Italian methods of gelato making came to life.

Although Ono Gelato Company is new, they are no strangers to gelato making; Stefano is third generation gelataio from Torino, Italy. They also made and sold gelato at their Victoria bakeries, though like most frozen treats, gelato wasn’t so popular during the cold months in Canada.

Falling in love with Maui and recognizing Pa’ia’s gelato needs they opened their north shore store on December 15, 2007.

The company is operated with Farm to Fork ethics, supporting local farming communities and using organic ingredients when possible. All of the gelato is made on-site in small batches to maintain the hallmarks of artisan gelato making and their founding principles to promote a pono mentality.

OUR VALUES

Artisan Gelato Stewardship - Forming a DOCG like collective with ethics and standards as to how our products are produced is paramount. Slow food principals are our guiding standards for production while “Farm to Fork” initiatives promote, stimulate, and influence local economies

Community Involvement– Investing in community activities and promoting the local economy.

Green by Nature - Working and living on a small chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean brings a natural sense of the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle. Reducing the environmental impact of our company’s daily operations is paramount and can be seen in our stores from the use of biodegradable packaging, green cleaning products and in store recycling centers. One of the main goals of our locations is to obtain “green restaurant” certification.

Farm to Fork Ethics – Supporting local farming communities by purchasing locally grown produce that is organic when possible. Through buying power Ono Gelato will help to promote and encourage the growth and sale of organic produce both to our stores and the community at large.

Pono – “do what is right”: Borrowing from the Hawaiian’s natural sense of stewardship for the land to their treatment of others, Ono Gelato will focus on what is right. This is best seen in the treatment of our employees with profit sharing, competitive hourly rates and extended health plans.