Spreading the "Aloha Spirit", one customer at a time. This blog is dedicated to providing our customers with up to date store happenings, as well as a forum to share their own Maui Wowi Hawaiian stories and experiences.
Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies is your mainland purveyor of gourmet Hawaiian Coffees and premium fresh fruit smoothies. Featuring our proprietary non-fat fresh fruit premium puree smoothies, Kona blend espresso, as well as coffees from Lion, Royal Kona, and Mountain Thunder. All Maui Wowi Hawaiian stores in Arizona are locally owned and operated.
Lisa, Maui Wowi’s fearless leader (the owner), brought me two raffle boxes that I needed for my business.One day during one of our many pleasant chats (it turns out small business owners have a lot in common!); I noticed the Pure Fitness lead box on the counter.I mentioned to Lisa that I had been looking for something just like that at several office supply stores but had no luck finding it.The next time I came in for my MOCHA, Alan had two raffle boxes waiting for me.Lisa had remembered my inquiry and asked the Pure Fitness rep for extras when she came in. Woo hoo!My raffle box turned out great! (see picture below).
So that day when I went into Maui Wowi, not only did I get an amazing MOCHA, but I also got a surprise that not only saved me time and money, but also helped me promote my business!
One business owner looking out for another?Perhaps, but at its core it is really just one human being showing care for another through thoughtfulness and generosity.With that kind of attention to others - it’s no wonder Maui Wowi is so successful!
Moral of the story:You always hear about the value of doing good deeds but when it happens to you, I tell you, it can make more than just your day.So next time you have the chance to do something nice for someone – take it. Act.It will mean more to them than you could ever know.(Possibly even more than my MOCHA means to me? oh no, that’s crazy talk, nothing can top my MOCHA J)
At Maui Wowi I feel valued as a customer; I feel valued as a person, and I get to enjoy the best tasting MOCHAS on the planet!!
~ See you again five Mochas from now in the next installment of the Mocha Chronicles ~
Amy K is the owner of Amy K Music Company “Lessons that ROCK!” in Phoenix, AZ.
#1 – okay, seriously, haven’t you been reading my other articles?Regular Maui Wowi Iced Mocha, Whole Milk, 1½ Pumps, Whip, No Drizzle
#2 – Regular Maui Wowi Mocha Chill, 1 Pump Macadamia Nut, Whip, Cocoa Powder – this one is kind of like ablended mocha.It has all the elements of a great MOCHA – Kona Coffee and Chocolate but now – it’s whipped up into a thick, creamy, cold, delicious treat!! And, it is surprising low cal, low fat, and low sugar.
#3 – Surf’s Up Smoothie with Recovery Fuel – This special blend is a mix of Pina Colada, Kiwi Lemon Lime, and fresh banana.These flavors blend together make a whole new taste experience that is cold, refreshing, and has a lightness to it that makes it oh so satisfying!You can’t quite taste any of the individual flavors (coconut, lime, pineapple); but what you do taste is something brand new – a new taste sensation that is difficult to accurately describe with words.Ok, think of it this way, when you eat a delicious Maui Wowi Scone, you don’t take a bite and think, ah, I can taste the flour, the egg whites, the oil, the baking powder… NO = all these ingredients together create some thing brand new.This magical aspect of food is one of the things I enjoy the most – when you can mix individual ingredients together to create something completely brand new.That’s why I love the Surf’s Up Smoothie with Recovery Fuel.It is very refreshing, and a good boost for the immune system with the Recovery Fuel Booster, the antioxidants from the fruit, and the live cultures in the yogurt.Absolutely delicious!
#4 – Dark Chocolate Cappuccino, 1 Pump Hazelnut, 1 Shot Espresso, Whip – oh my!Could it get any better?Espresso, chocolate, hazelnut – it is a heavenly experience for your taste buds.This drink is so creamy, decadent and satiating you won’t need to eat anything for the rest of the day! (ok, not really, but that’s how you feel when you’re drinking it!)It’s like a great milkshake with an added accent of coffee.Two of my favorite things joined together, isn’t that nice!
#5 – Maui Wowi Kona Gold Coffee – the best to keep at home when don’t have time to stop in (ok, I admit I ALWAYS make time for Paradise!).Or, when you’re travelling and can’t bear the hotel coffee packets (seriously who can?), Kona Gold will come to your rescue.
So there it is. My Top 5 in Paradise.
~ See you again five Mochas from now in the next installment of the Mocha Chronicles ~
Amy K is the owner of Amy K Music Company “Lessons that ROCK!” in Phoenix, AZ.
Everyday after my workout, I enjoy a Maui Wowi Iced MOCHA.It makes a delicious and nutritious post workout meal.It helps my muscles recover and, it is a satisfying treat! Let’s break down the components of a MOCHA and analyze the benefits, shall we?I’m a logical person so let’s see the facts!
MILK - MOCHAS may have gotten a bad rap as being unhealthy or ‘bad’ for you.How can a full glass of milk be bad for you?Fitness experts concur that an 8 oz. glass of milk after a workout greatly aids in speedy muscle recovery (which is essential for reaping the benefits of your hard work). It is a perfect mix of protein and fat; and the fact that it is in liquid form facilitates quick absorption.When I have milk after a workout (my choice of milk as part of a MOCHA), I am definitely less sore throughout the day.I tested this theory by not having a MOCHA one day (Oh, the agony…) only to find my muscles were much more sore.
CHOCOLATE! - Add in Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and get tons of anti-oxidants.At only 40 mere calories per pump, it is about the equivalent of2oz. of dark chocolate which health experts have told us for years is great for your health.Chocolate is also responsible for releasing serotonin in our brains.Nicknamed the ‘love’ drug, serotonin gives us a sense of well being and makes us feel good.Antioxidants and serotonin – a delightful mix that satisfies both the chocolate junkie and the desire to be healthy in all of us!MOCHAS feed both our bodies and our emotional needs. Glorious!! J
COFFEE - two shots of espresso give you a small boost of caffeine.Espresso has less than half the amount of caffeine than coffee does.So it is just enough to boost me into the day ahead, but not enough to cause jitters or keep my up at night.And oh, let’s not forget the taste; the smooth, pure flavor of Hawaiian coffee has no bitterness and no acidity.It’s all flavor baby!
WHIPPED CREAM – Maui Wowi uses ‘light’ whipped cream.Only 15 calories for 2 tablespoons and I don’t know how, but it certainly does not taste ‘light’ – it is a creamy and delicious topper for my MOCHA.
Put it all together and get the perfect drink – a Maui Wowi Iced MOCHA.Nutritious and satisfying – what a combo!It’s the perfect post workout meal. In fact, it’s the thought of getting to drink that MOCHA that keeps me pushing through my workout.So I could easily say that drinking MOCHAS is what actually motivates me to workout to begin with. Oh that Mocha, always looking out for my health and what’s best for me…
IngredientCaloriesFat
10 oz. Whole Milk 1808 grams
1½ Pumps Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate600 grams
Whipped Cream151 gram
Total:2559 grams
Stellar numbers for something so decadent.Stop into Maui Wowi to try my favorite drink:Regular MauiWowi Iced Mocha, Whole Milk, 1½ Pumps, Whip, No Drizzle.It’s fun just saying that… isn’t coffee lingo cool!
~ See you again five Mochas from now in the next installment of the Mocha Chronicles ~
Amy K is the owner of Amy K Music Company “Lessons that ROCK!” in Phoenix, AZ.
Manny B recently celebrated his 1 year anniversary as a Maui Wowi Hawaiian loyal customer. Manny works for the City of Peoria and serves on the Glendale Art Commission. We also thank Manny for bring in the newspaper everyday!!
Manny enjoys sipping on his Maui Wowi kona blend coffee with "a little love" (aka non-fat milk) every morning. In his spare time he provides counseling to the employees of Maui Wowi from his typical coffee bar stool...just kidding!
CUSTOMER SERVICE – Maui Wowi is truly a place where everybody knows your name. Every day I am welcomed with an “Aloha Amy!”The entire staff is genuine and friendly, and always remembers what I ordered last time.At the Maui Wowi Paradise, I always feel welcome and valued.
My first time in, Lisa (the owner) took the time to talk to me about my preferences so she could recommend some drinks that would be right for me.They have all the coffee house standards if you know what you like, but also many menu items unique to Maui Wowi.My first drink was a blended Chocolate Almond Cappuccino and I’ve been back nearly every day since.Exceptional customer service is one thing that makes them stand out from all the rest.That’s how they ‘hang’ in Paradise…
TASTE – The Coffee: no bitterness, no acidity. ALL FLAVOR.I never knew coffee could be like this.The first time I tasted it, I thought “this must be what coffee is supposed to taste like.”I often have dreams of eating foods that I love – like oranges or watermelon – only in the dream the flavor is so concentrated, intense and pure, that it is like nothing I have ever actually tasted in real life.I never had this dream about coffee – but Maui Wowi gave me this experience in real life. Woo hoo!!
The Chocolate – Ghirardelli… I sometimes daydream of drinking the chocolate straight form the pump.It has exceptional chocolate flavor, not too sweet, just pure chocolate bliss.There is a huge difference between sweetness and flavor.Many drinks rely solely on the sweetness to make it taste good – but I prefer more pure flavor with just enough sweetness to compliment – but not overpower it.No MOCHA before or ever since can compare to this perfect concoction of smooth Hawaiian Coffee and rich Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate…
The Scones – Freshly baked and iced on the premises.My favorite is the Peach Mango Scone.They are moist, fresh, and pungent with flavor.The icing is the best part!Blueberry is my second fave, then cinnamon, lemon, chocolate, chip, vanilla (yes, I have tried them all!!)One day, I had the privilege of having one fresh out the oven.The icing was still dripping down the side in slow motion, like hot lava oozing out of a freshly erupted volcano.It was delicious!
ATMOSPHERE –
The Music – An Island Mix including Don Ho, The Ventures, The Beach Boys, and many more.I just love that old surf guitar sound… a little grungy with a lot of grit – reminds me of how the sand feels in between your toes!Listening to the music and hangin’ out in Maui Wowi Paradise makes me daydream of bumming around the beach all day without a care in the world, with someone to bring me my MOCHA, made perfectly every time (that is my goal in life – a beach house and endless MOCHAS…)
The Products – Everything Macadamia Nut & Coconut you could imagine (no SPAM though, thank goodness for that!)Hawaiian teas, cookies, popcorn, recipe books, oh and at least a dozen different varieties of Hawaiian coffees. I’ve yet to try them all but my current favorite is the Maui WowiKona Gold – smooth and tasty.I love that they have small sample size (2.5 oz bags so you don’t have to commit to the whole bag.(I don’t have commitment issues, I swear!)
They have many varieties of Macadamia Nuts (wasabi, jalapeño, salted, and more), Hawaiian Teas (coconut Macadamia Nut, Papaya, Guava, etc.), and Specialty Hawaiian Cookies.
The Smoothies – ‘Ever see fresh fruit do the Hula?’ is one of my favorite Maui Wowi slogans.Fresh fruit puree, banana, yogurt, and ice blended into smooth frozen perfection!Mango Orange, Strawberry Banana, Black Raspberry, & PinaColada, are just some of the regular flavors.They also have special Blends of the Day which are two smoothie flavors mixed together.Some include Kona Rain (Black Raspberry & Kiwi Lemon Lime); Hawaiian Dreamsicle (Mango Orange & PinaColada); Surf’s Up (PinaColada & Kiwi Lemon Lime), & Black Lava Beach (Strawberry & Black Raspberry) just to name a few!The Hawaiian Dreamsicle tastes just like the Orange Creamsicles you used to get from the ice cream man back in the old days.Smoothies are my favorite way to cool off in the hot summer days!
The Decor – Tiki Totem Poles, Jungle Plants, Surf Boards, Pineapple Tables, & Coconut Monkey Cups all make you feel like you get a taste of Hawaii right in here in sunny AZ!
Couches, Tables, and a Tiki Bar; Oh my! – They have something for everyone. I like to sit at the Tiki Bar and watch the magic of the drinks being made.It’s like a secret look behind the scenes at where my MOCHA was created.It is an intricate science you know – specific brewing times per espresso shot, foam to milk ratios, the perfect balancing of flavors.Thank goodness I can leave this part up to the experts!They do all the work, and I get to come in and relish in the results!I also like to watch the smoothies blending up in their high powered blenders.The Kona Rain Smoothie (Black Raspberry & Kiwi Lemon Lime) reminds me of a volcano erupting as it gurgles and spatters from the force of the blender; (yes, I may have an overactive imagination…).That’s how they put the “Smooth” in Smoothie.There are also more private tables in the back if you like a little romance with your MOCHA and couches in the front if you’d like to feel at home.I like to hang on the couches when I’m there reading… so there is a comfortable place for everyone!
Free Wi-Fi – You can come in and work for a nice change of atmosphere.I work from home a lot so it is a great little escape for me to come in and have my mocha and chat with Lisa – the owner.She is not only a great Barista, but a great conversationalist as well….Plus, my MOCHA gives me the boost of mental energy to keep me alert for the work day ahead!
REWARDS – Coupons, Punch Cards, Points, and Loyalty Status all equal Customer Happiness!!
Let me elaborate…COUPONS: I first discovered Maui Wowi when I saw their ad in Savvy Shopper – at the top it said “Got Mocha?” – I was like no but I want one.Below it was a coupon for buy one get one free.My friend Kristen and I meet every two weeks for coffee and we’re always trying different locales for our ‘coffee talk’ as we called it.We went into Maui Wowi Paradise and it quickly became our permanent hang!PUNCH CARDS: They have buy ten, get one free punch cards (the punches are shaped like palm trees – no detail gets overlooked in Paradise).POINTS: Every $2 you spend earns you 1 point in their rewards system – you can redeem points for drinks, ground coffee, tea, or even a Coconut Monkey Cup!Now where else can you get a Coconut Monkey Cup with your Smoothie, huh?! LOYALTY STATUS: I was also excited to find out that in Jan. 2009 I had been upgraded to Customer Loyalty Status which earns me 10% off every purchase, every time, in addition to the othergreat rewards I already receive.Redeeming free MOCHAS in four different ways?I couldn’t be happier! :)
SAMPLES – If you stick around to enjoy your drink in the Maui Wowi Paradise, you will likely get the pleasure of sampling other drinks.They will bring out little 2oz cups and tell what flavor it is.I love this.I’m the kind of person that always has menu envy.No matter how satisfying and delicious my drink is, I always curiously long to taste what ever my friend, or even the next customers orders.Especially as I see it bring joy to their eyes as they take that first sip.It is through this generous sampling that I discovered one of my other favorite drinks – Dark Chocolate Blended Cappuccino with Hazelnut and Espresso Shots – it is a frozen ocean of coff-late bliss (coff-late is my nick name for all things containing the perfect duo of coffee & chocolate).If I’m in the mood for something richer and more indulgent – that is my drink of choice!
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! – Perfect, perfect perfect! – Seriously!On the SW corner of 59th Ave. & Peoria it is perfectly located one mile from my house, one block from my gym, and in between my home and office.Convenient no matter where I am coming from or going to!
All these things together make a completely unforgettable experience.Now you can clearly see what I mean by “No Brainer!”But don’t just take my word for it, come in and see for yourself!
~ See you again five Mochas from now in the next installment of the Mocha Chronicles ~
Amy K is the owner of Amy K Music Company “Lessons that ROCK!” in Phoenix, AZ.
This months spotlight shines on Ashley. A student at ASU majoring in graphic design, she's been with Maui Wowi Glendale since its opening in April of 2007.
Ashley likes to spend time with her friends and relaxing...so working at Maui Wowi is a perfect job for her! Mahalo Ashley for being an outstanding employee.
Maui Wowi Hawaiian Glendale, Az continues building on its tradition of fundraising for local schools and non-profit organizations. During this 15 day fundraiser, Raymond S Kellis HS set a single day sales record for 2-thirty minute lunch periods. The record breaking day saw Maui Wowi dispensing a freshly blended smoothie every 23 seconds to the students and faculty of Raymond S Kellis High School. Congratulations to the students and staff of Kellis HS for their support of this record setting fundraising effort!
Lisa, owner of Maui Wowi Glendale Az, presents a check for $1,077 to the cheer squad of Kellis HS after their fundraising efforts.
To date, Maui Wowi Hawaiian of Glendale Az has raised nearly $20,000 for local schools, charities and non-profit organizations. Visit www.azkona.com to have Maui Wowi help with your fundraising efforts.
