A Chill from Maui Heads to Old Sacramento

     Sacramento is about to get a splash of island breezes, sugar, and ultra fluffy snow ice. Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, a beloved chain born on Maui, is bringing its sweet artistry to Old Sacramento, and locals are already licking their lips in anticipation.

Founded in 2008 by Ululani Yamashiro, David Yamashiro, and Brad Edgerton, Ululani’s started from humble roots in a 65 square foot shave ice shack in Lahaina, Maui. Over the years, Ululani’s has grown into a multi state phenomenon, with fifteen locations spanning Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and California. The upcoming Old Sacramento shop will be its first in the city.

While the exact address in Old Sacramento is not public yet, Sacramento locals familiar with the business say it will be opened by the husband and wife team Jonnie Dang and Tammy Nguyen, who already run another Ululani’s outpost in Stockton. What we do know is that this will not be just any snow cone spot. Ululani’s is renowned for its light, fluffy shave ice and handcrafted syrups made from real fruit purées, pure cane sugar, and ultra purified water.

One of Ululani’s clever tricks is their poking technique. They tunnel through the ice so that syrup flows deep inside, meaning each bite delivers flavor all the way down. Their flavor menu is wide, with options like guava, mango, coconut, passion fruit, and combinations such as the Haleakala with leche, coconut, and snow cap, Sunset Beach with passion fruit, orange, mango, and guava, and No Ka Oi with mango, coconut, and passion fruit. Vegan, gluten free, sugar free, and allergen friendly options are also part of the mix.

The move to Old Sacramento signals confidence that people here want more than just standard dessert shops. Ululani’s has its own niche in making shave ice not just cold and sweet, but an experience that blends texture, flavor weaving, and a touch of aloha. There is something special in knowing your syrup did not come from a mix, but from actual fruit.

Ululani’s has not forgotten tough times. In 2023, harsh wildfires ravaged parts of Maui, destroying the company’s Lahaina warehouse and two locations. The chain has been rebuilding. The Old Sacramento location is part of that ongoing revival, growth not just as a business but as a statement of resilience, community, and joy in simpler pleasures.

No opening date has been nailed down, and the exact location in Old Sacramento remains under wraps. For locals, that means keeping watch for announcements as more details are expected soon.

What does this mean for Sacramento’s dessert scene? It means competition, and that is a good thing. If you love ice cream, custard, shaved snow, sorbet, gelato, or just something cool, refreshing, and artistically flavored, Ululani’s arrival raises the bar. It brings a product that is not overdone or flashy but instead perfects something that melts too fast and tastes way too good.

In a city known for farm to fork dining, food trucks, and rising craft cocktails, Ululani’s adds another flavor layer, treat culture. A reminder that dessert is not just a finish, it is a destination. And for those scorching Sacramento summers, or sunny afternoons, or nights when you just want sweetness without heaviness, this might be exactly what Old Sacramento needed.

So get ready. A taste of Maui is on its way. And when Ululani’s opens its doors, that first spoonful, or rather first snow ice bite, will be worth waiting for.