HELLERTOWN, Pa. - A tasty and tropical experience – complete with leis, tiki torches, illuminated faux palm trees and hot and flavorful treats popularized in Hawaii – is set to make waves in the Lehigh Valley starting next month.
Aloha Jay’s, specializing in made-to-order malasadas, will hold a soft opening 8 a.m. May 4 at 1120 Main St., Unit A in Hellertown.
A malasada is a variation of a traditional doughnut that originated in Portugal and became popular in Hawaii beginning in the late 1800s, when Portuguese immigrants cultivating sugarcane and other crops introduced the fried pastries to island natives.
Today, malasadas are served at countless bakeries and dessert shops across the Aloha State.
“I’ve been to Hawaii 13 times, and the malasadas there are as common as Philadelphia cheesesteaks are in Philly,” owner Jay Losagio said. “They’re absolutely delicious, but you’ve got to eat them right away when they’re hot and fresh. That’s really important. You can’t let them sit on the table for a few hours.”
A key difference between malasadas and traditional doughnuts are malasadas do not have holes. They also feature higher levels of butter and eggs, which lead to a “slightly crisp exterior,” Losagio said.
While malasadas have a light crisp and golden-brown color on the outside, they’re warm, fluffy and moist inside.
“They’re fried to perfection before being coated in sugar or cinnamon and sugar, and then filled with cream- or fruit-based fillings such as mango or custard,” Losagio said. “Inside, the doughnuts are light, airy and pillowy.”
Customers will be able to choose from a wide array of malasada varieties, including plain, sugar-coated, cinnamon- and sugar- coated, snow cap cream (light and creamy topping with hints of vanilla and maple), snow cap cream with rainbow or chocolate sprinkles on top, custard-filled, raspberry-filled, coconut cream-filled, snow cap cream-filled, s’mores (marshmallow topping with bittersweet chocolate and crushed graham crackers), ube (custard base with hints of coconut and purple yam), lava cake (sugar coated outside with decadent chocolate “lava” filling) and “the sticky” (classic cinnamon bun spread and snow cap cream combined together on top).
Pictured is a s'mores malasada.
Losagio, who’s been in the tech industry for 16 years, is joining forces with his business partner, Carley Kuehner, to open Aloha Jay’s.
He decided to embark on the new food venture following difficulty in finding local and regional businesses offering malasadas.
His late father also encouraged him to pursue the concept.
“For years, my dad would tease me by saying I should open a malasada shop in the Lehigh Valley,” Losagio said.
“Then, he got really sick with cancer, and about a month before he passed away in 2021, he asked me again if I was planning to open a malasada shop. He expressed support and confidence that I could make it successful. I still wasn’t sure, but on a family trip to Oahu shortly after he passed, I found the answer. I was sipping coffee while enjoying a beautiful sunrise one morning when I found myself wanting malasada. I immediately felt the my dad’s presence and knew this was something I had to do.”
Over the ensuing years, Losagio became increasingly immersed in the food service industry – purchasing the neighboring Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard franchise and spending several hours a day developing the Aloha Jay’s concept.
It took roughly 350 batches of malasadas to perfect the business’ recipe.
“Baking is truly an art form, with every gram making a difference,” Losagio said. “My respect for bakers has definitely been heightened during this process.”
Aloha Jay’s will occupy a renovated spot that previously housed dining space for Rocco’s Pizzeria, which continues to operate at the back of the building.
New flooring, lighting, counters, baking equipment and more were installed inside, while a new covered front porch was constructed outside.
The Hawaiian theme will carry over to the shop’s aesthetics, with colorful wall art depicting tropical scenes and tiki torch accent lighting outside, Losagio said. There also will be leis for customers.
In addition to malasadas, Aloha Jay’s will offer a signature, house-made fruit punch along with other specialty drinks such as hot chocolate and hot and iced coffee made from Kona coffee beans.
Customers will be able to order at the shop’s counter or a kiosk. There also will be an app, where customers can earn points for free food, merchandise and more.
“On each box, there will be a QR code that can be scanned to download our app, along with our trademarked tagline, ‘Eat em hot!’” Losagio said. “On the back of the box, there also will be a small circle with a D, which stands for dad.”
Aloha Jay’s will operate 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
For the latest updates, follow Aloha Jay’s on Facebook and Instagram. Info: alohajays.com.
