The Origins of POG: Hawaiʻi’s Favorite Juice and the 90s Game Craze It Inspired

If you grew up in Hawaiʻi—or anywhere in the U.S. during the 1990s—you probably know the name “POG.” In the islands, it refers to a beloved tropical juice blend of passionfruit, orange, and guava. But for a generation of kids worldwide, POG also evokes memories of slamming cardboard bottle caps onto playground pavement in a wildly popular game called pogs.

What most people don’t know is that both the drink and the game originated in Hawaiʻi. Their story is one of local invention, cultural nostalgia, and a burst of island flavor that became a global phenomenon.

Let’s dive into the real history behind POG juice and how it gave rise to the legendary pogs game.

What is POG Juice?

POG stands for Passionfruit-Orange-Guava, a sweet and tangy juice blend that became a staple in Hawaiʻi homes, schools, and lunch counters. Known for its bright tropical flavor and distinctive yellow-orange carton, POG has quenched island thirsts since the 1970s.

The juice’s balance of tart passionfruit, citrusy orange, and floral guava makes it a uniquely Hawaiian creation, reflecting the islands’ abundance of tropical fruits and multicultural culinary influences.

But who actually created it?

The Creation of POG Juice: Haleakalā Dairy’s Delicious Idea

The original POG juice was created in 1971 by Haleakalā Dairy, a small dairy company based in Maui. At the time, Haleakalā was known primarily for its milk products, but like many dairies across the U.S., it also offered juice to diversify its lineup.

The company’s employees began experimenting with fruit blends and hit upon a winning combination with passionfruit (locally called lilikoi), orange, and guava. It was unlike anything else on the market—tropical, refreshing, and distinctively Hawaiian.

POG was first sold in school lunch programs across the state, and quickly gained popularity with children and families. Its name was simple and catchy—just the first letter of each fruit—and the flavor captured the essence of the islands.

By the 1980s, POG was a household staple in Hawaiʻi, commonly served at school events, birthday parties, and local diners. Its popularity eventually spread to the mainland, especially among those with ties to the islands.

From Carton to Cap: How POG Inspired the Game of Pogs

So how did a juice drink lead to a game that became a worldwide craze?

The connection lies in the bottle caps used by Haleakalā Dairy. While POG juice was sold in cartons, the company also promoted its products with milk bottle caps—small, round cardboard disks used as seals on glass milk bottles. These caps often featured fun, colorful designs and promotional logos.

In the early 1990s, a teacher named Blossom Galbiso at Waialua Elementary School on Oʻahu revived an old game from her childhood that used these bottle caps. Wanting to teach her students a nonviolent game that didn’t involve technology, she introduced them to “caps” or “milk caps,” where players would stack the cardboard disks and take turns “slamming” them with a heavier piece (often called a slammer) to flip and win the caps.

The kids loved it—and they especially gravitated toward the POG-branded caps that had once sealed juice bottles decades before. The game quickly became known as “pogs,” named after the drink.

Galbiso's students started collecting POG caps, decorating them, and trading them like collectibles. By the early 90s, local businesses took notice and began producing new versions of the caps, along with rules, carrying tubes, and custom slammers.

The Pogs Explosion: Hawaiʻi to Global Phenomenon

By 1993, the pogs game had exploded beyond Hawaiʻi and become a nationwide—and then global—fad. Toy companies licensed the concept, and “POGs” became a brand in its own right, with tournaments, merchandise, and TV commercials.

Though Haleakalā Dairy had no formal trademark over the game, its branding and imagery were heavily associated with the craze. The original POG caps became collector’s items.

At the height of the craze, pogs were banned in some schools due to their resemblance to gambling and the disruptive excitement they caused. But their cultural impact had already been made—POG had gone from a Maui juice to a 90s icon.

The Legacy of POG: Drink and Game

Today, POG juice is still widely available in Hawaiʻi. Although Haleakalā Dairy closed in the 1990s, the brand and formula were acquired and are now distributed by Meadow Gold Dairies and other local companies. You’ll find POG in grocery stores, restaurants, and even in alcoholic cocktails (POG mimosas and POG mai tais, anyone?).

The drink continues to be associated with childhood nostalgia, sunny beach days, and the sweet, simple pleasures of island life.

As for pogs the game, the original craze may have faded, but collectors and fans still trade them online. Some have even tried to revive the game for new generations. And in Hawaiʻi, pogs remain a unique part of local history—one of the few major pop culture phenomena that can truly claim Hawaiian roots.

Why POG and Pogs Matter in Hawaiian Culture

POG represents more than just a juice or a game—it’s a story of local creativity and island innovation that unexpectedly reached the world stage.

• It reflects Hawaiʻi’s multicultural food landscape, where passionfruit, guava, and citrus have been lovingly blended into something uniquely local.

• It showcases how everyday items like milk caps, when seen through the lens of play and community, can spark joy across generations.

• And it serves as a reminder of how Hawaiʻi continues to punch above its weight in influencing global pop culture.

Whether you’re sipping a cold glass of POG or thumbing through a tube of old slammers, you’re tasting and touching a piece of Hawaiian history.

Final Sip (or Slam)

From its humble beginnings in a Maui dairy to its starring role in 90s schoolyards, POG is a uniquely Hawaiian creation with a legacy as flavorful as its juice. The next time you see a carton on a store shelf—or a dusty stack of pogs in your garage—remember: it all started with a passion for local flavor and a little island imagination.