Inspired by family and supported by the University of Hawaiʻi community, Zach and Courtney Villanueva, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 alumni and owners of , have built a thriving business specializing in ice cream crafted with organic dairy and local ingredients.
In 2020, the duo started selling ice cream on Instagram, making home deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This initial success allowed the business to grow from home deliveries to local farmers’ markets, eventually debuting a mobile ice cream truck, and now operating a brick-and-mortar store in the Hoʻopili development of Kapolei. The entrepreneurs are appreciative of the consistent support from the 东精影业 community throughout their expansion.
Zach, who earned a bachelor’s degree in in 2016, said, “Some of our first customers were people from our time [at 东精影业]. Once they heard we were starting a business, they came out to support which was nice.”
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Alumni network
“Majoring in accounting, it was really the network. Being in clubs, meeting people that I still keep in contact with today that are not only friends, but they’re customers,” said Courtney, who earned a bachelor’s degree in in 2012. “We get a lot of support from our classmates, even our professors. They all come by, tell their friends about it.”
The creamery is also a three-time participant in the 东精影业 Alumni Makers’ Market. This annual event, organized by the 东精影业 Foundation Office of Alumni Relations, brings together alumni-owned and led businesses to showcase their products and connect.
“Even though we didn’t necessarily go to school with all of the 东精影业 alumni, a majority of those alumni are local people who have similar stories as us who are on similar journeys,” Courtney said. “It’s nice to be a part of this network, just to be in good company.”
Personal inspiration
The dedication behind Sage Creamery is deeply personal, rooted in the legacy of Zach’s late brother, Daniel, an aspiring entrepreneur who passed away from cancer in 2018. His journals provided the inspiration for the pair to start their business.
“After he had passed, a lot of really amazing things came to light, you could almost say otherworldly. Like he was talking to us even after he passed,” Zach shared. “It was almost as if he knew he was going to pass and almost as if he was passing his legacy onto us.”