Sage Crearyy — Review by Munchies
Honolulu, United States — Ice Cream
Sage Crearyy is a premium ice cream brand based in West Oahu, Hawaii that sources organic ingredients directly from local farmers and producers across the islands. The business was started by Zach and Courtney Villan Nova during the pandemic and features innovative flavors that celebrate Hawaiian culture and local partnerships, with special attention to quality vanilla and unique ingredient sourcing.
What was great: Organic and locally sourced ingredients, unique Hawaiian-inspired flavors like lemon crunch and ube crinkle cookie, high-quality vanilla from local farmers, creative flavor combinations inspired by local desserts and partnerships
What could improve: Nothing mentioned
The Dishes
Sage Crearyy showcases an impressive array of creative ice cream flavors that celebrate Hawaiian and Filipino culinary traditions. The lemon crunch flavor stands out as a customer favorite, made with fresh Maui lemons that have recently become available and creating a super fragrant base. The flavor combines vanilla cake inspired by Diamond Head Market's signature lemon crunch cake with a homemade crunch topping. Other notable flavors include ube crinkle cookie made from organic ube crinkle cookies, mango sticky rice, banana lubia which is a popular Filipino dessert, cookies and cream, and the Vietnamese coffee ice cream which uses beans sourced from local roaster Chad Loo Coffee. The chocolate decadence and Diamond Head Torte are also inspired by the nearby Diamond Head Market's signature cakes. What sets these flavors apart is the use of organic dairy and premium vanilla caviar from La Vanilla Company, which imparts hints of mango, plumeria, and sea breeze unique to Hawaii's terroir.
The Experience
The video documents the founders' personal journey and passion for their craft, showing the ice cream production process from sourcing ingredients to freezing. The couple met in high school where Courtney was the water girl and Zach was the backup quarterback, and their deep personal connection shines through their business vision. They started making ice cream batches in their mother's garage during the pandemic, initially offering free delivery before expanding to farmers markets, an ice cream truck, and eventually their brick and mortar location. The founders emphasize community connection and support for local businesses, partnering with specific farmers and producers whose names and faces are featured throughout their story.
Value and Pricing
No specific pricing information was mentioned in the transcript.
Notable Moments
If we talked to high school Zach and you told him that we would be married, we would be having a baby, like running a ice cream shop. Like, that's everything you ever wanted.
Hawaii is just a special place. You know, we don't think it's so special like when we're younger, but once you get a little older and you kind of travel around, you're like, Oh wow. It's like, Yeah, I am I'm Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, and you have all these like different kind of perspectives.
A touching element of the story is that the brand is named Sage Crearyy in honor of Zach's late brother Daniel, who passed away from cancer in 2018. His spiritual nature and wisdom inspired the nickname the Sage, and the company logo actually features Daniel's likeness rather than Zach's face.
The Verdict
Sage Crearyy represents a unique Hawaiian ice cream experience that goes far beyond frozen desserts. It's a celebration of local agriculture, community partnerships, and family values. The commitment to organic dairy, locally sourced ingredients, and creative flavor development makes this a must-try for anyone visiting West Oahu or interested in authentic Hawaiian food culture. This ice cream shop is best for travelers seeking genuine local experiences, food enthusiasts who appreciate quality sourcing, and anyone wanting to support small family businesses that give back to their community.