Every culture over time has come up with its own version of fried dough, doused with a bit of sugar more often than not.
In 1950 Koto Maebo, an enterprising mother of eight in Hilo, developed her own recipes for noodles and wonton pi (those little square wrappers for savory Chinese dumplings).
With a small hand-cranked machine, Koto and her kids made each batch from scratch in the early days of the Maebo Noodle Factory in the family garage. Husband Toshito Maebo drummed up business for the fledgling Big Island operation, while peddling tofu, vegetables and other products.
With all the kids around, Koto thought up an inexpensive treat to reward their hard work, and experimented with her wonton pi recipe, turning it into a snack that was a divine conjunction of salty and sweet.
CLAIM TO FAME
Three years later, these crispy tidbits were marketed as “One-Ton Chips,” a moniker that son Aketo invented as play on the word “wonton.” He designed a logo depicting a weightlifter hoisting a barbell over his head.
The company stopped making wonton pi wrappers about five years ago, but the chips have survived for 65, using Koto’s original recipe.
Maebo still manufactures chow fun and saimin noodles wholesale to restaurants around Hilo, and in 2009 added cookies containing bits of One-Ton Chips to the product line.
Outgrowing the garage, the company moved to 2036 Kilauea Ave. in 1964. The factory burned down in 2003, but was rebuilt in 2007. Triple the original size, the two-story building is roughly 55,000 square feet.
THE FAMILY
The 68-year old company employs six members of the extended Maebo family, including 80-year-old Vice President Rachael (Aketo’s wife), who still does all the bookkeeping. Her son Blane is president, and has overseen everything for more than 30 years. Blane’s wife, Lehua, has been helping with every job for at least 20 years, and their son Jarek, the youngest staffer at 18, has been frying chips, packing products and preparing shipments for a couple of years.
Rachael’s granddaughters, sisters Chasity Silva and Porsche Leopoldino, also carry big loads. Silva manages the factory and about a dozen nonfamily workers; and Leopoldino makes the buttery, crunchy cookies — 3,000 each week, and a lot more during the holidays. She added her own spin to a recipe bestowed by family friend Joyce Sweeney, creator of Ugly Cookies Hawaii, another homegrown Hilo company.
“We all help each other out and hope to pass it (the company) on from generation to generation,” said Silva, who started working at Maebo while still in high school. She moved to Maui for 12 years, but always knew that she’d come back to the family business. She returned two years ago.
“Everybody still has their hands involved,” Silva said. “We were brought up that way: always family first.”
WHAT’S NEW
The company has been experimenting with different flavors for the chips and cookies, and hopes to introduce them by the end of this year.
WHERE TO BUY
The chips are sold on all islands and online; the cookies and Maebo logo T-shirts and tote bags are also available online.
The cookies are not well known outside the Big Island, but find them on Oahu at Marukai Wholesale Mart, 2310 Kamehameha Highway in Kalihi. The chips are sold in large jars at Costco and Sam’s Club outlets.
Visit the website at digitalalohadesigns.com/one-ton, call toll-free 877-663-8667 or email sales@one-ton.com.
“Old Friends” catches up with long-time local food producers. It runs on the third week of each month. Email suggestions to crave@staradvertiser.com or call Pat Gee at 529-4749.
