How it all started: 1996-1997
How it all started: 1996-1997 In 1996, while preparing for her wedding in Ohahu, Hawaii, Akaline Kailolu (Ashlen Taylor) first got the idea for Mau Loa (Forever).
She wanted to create something tropical that could be used for the weddings. She decided to call it “Ko U Aloha” which means “My love.” This candy would soon become one of Hawaii’s favorites and soon shipped all around the world. A few months later, Akaline Kailolu (Ashlen Taylor) married her fiancé Rich Bryant and had their new and ever raging candy at their reception. Everyone loved it and they got many compliments on it. All of their friends would talk about how delectable it was and how huge the success had been for years and years to come.
She wanted to create something tropical that could be used for the weddings. She decided to call it “Ko U Aloha” which means “My love.” This candy would soon become one of Hawaii’s favorites and soon shipped all around the world. A few months later, Akaline Kailolu (Ashlen Taylor) married her fiancé Rich Bryant and had their new and ever raging candy at their reception. Everyone loved it and they got many compliments on it. All of their friends would talk about how delectable it was and how huge the success had been for years and years to come.
Heart break strikes: 1998-1999
In early 1998 Akaline Kalolu’s (Ashlen Taylor’s) husband Rick Bryant passed away of Kidney failure partly due to diabetes. Akaline (Ashlen) was devistated, it took her a while to get over her first love, and the most amazing man she had ever met. One year later Akaline (Ashlen) was inspired with a new idea to make a new candy. Soon the process for a new candy was underway. Akaline (Ashlen) still mourned the loss of her husband, but she wanted this new candy to succeed. A new revolution would soon strike Mau
Loa (Forever).
Loa (Forever).
A new candy:2000
In 2000 Akaline’s new candy “No Kau A Kau” (“For Eternity”) was under spectacular critics’ noses in a judging competition for Hawaii’s best new candy.The scent wafted up to the judges noses as they went to “take a bite”Akaline recalls. After they ate it, the judges did in fact deem the new candy, “ the best new candy in the whole heart of Hawaii.” The new candy became the company’s new success. The candy was featured on the front page in the “New York Times”,
all the way up north in New York.
all the way up north in New York.
New Beginnings: 2005-2009
One day when Akaline (Ashlen) was at her store working, she met a guy named Jake. Akaline and Jake start to talk and they end up exchanging phone numbers when the
store closed at 5:30. Jake called her right at 5:31 and they talked.They decided that they would go out to eat and they talked about their families and how the candy company got started. After that, they were like 2 peas in a pod. They started going out almost constantly and before they knew it, it had been 2 years already. They got engaged the following year and they got married 3 months later. They soon moved into an upscale house due to all of the money they were making in the candy company. 9 months later she had a beautiful baby girl named Lainee. Jake was a really proud daddy and couldn’t wait until she was old enough to come to the company and experience the wonderfulness of the candy world.
store closed at 5:30. Jake called her right at 5:31 and they talked.They decided that they would go out to eat and they talked about their families and how the candy company got started. After that, they were like 2 peas in a pod. They started going out almost constantly and before they knew it, it had been 2 years already. They got engaged the following year and they got married 3 months later. They soon moved into an upscale house due to all of the money they were making in the candy company. 9 months later she had a beautiful baby girl named Lainee. Jake was a really proud daddy and couldn’t wait until she was old enough to come to the company and experience the wonderfulness of the candy world.
Meeting Mr. Right :2009 -2021
When Lainee was little, Akaline (Ashlen) and Jake took her to work. When Akaline (Ashlen) and Jake were working Lainee played in the back room. When lainee was 13 years old, she got her first job working for her mom and dad’s candy business as a cashier. When she was 16, a guy named Bryan started talking to Lainee, and they each gave each other their number. Time would only tell if Bryan was the right guy for Lainee. He seemed compassionate enough, and he had a real sweet-tooth for candy! In 2012, Akaline (Ashlen) and Lainee received some terrible news. Akaline (Ashlen) had stage 2 Leukemia, and there was only a slight chance that she could heal from it.
However, they didn’t let it beat them. Their strong faith in God only made them stronger.
However, they didn’t let it beat them. Their strong faith in God only made them stronger.
Second Generation owners:2024-235
At 27 years old Lainee married her sweetheart, Bryan. It was a very gorgeous, happy, and joyous wedding that was attended only by their closest family and friends. They had "No"A Kau” (For Eternity) at their wedding reception in honor of Lainee’s father. Lainee still missed her father, “greatly.” she told me. The wedding was a huge affair, and they had bright pinks, reds, and oranges for their wedding party. “There was beautiful arrangements of flowers all over the place.” she told me. After the wedding, Akaline (Ashlen) got too sick and couldn’t run the candy company, so Lainee and Bryan became the second generation owners.