Creating Aloha One Bite at a Time Since 1989

Hi, my name is Terry or “Keli” in Hawaiian.  I’ve always had a special attraction and love for the Hawaiian Islands, its culture and it’s warm friendly people.

We believe once you try Keli’s Teriyaki, it separated itself from all the rest.  We invite you to TASTE THE FLAVOR OF THE ISLANDS!

Jim and Terry Morrisey, In 1979 fresh out of college and armed with their teaching credentials, wanted to do something exciting and adventurous.  They applied in the South Pacific and landed a job in the Marshall Islands running a private school for the Marshallese government. On an Island with no radio, television, or phones, friends become even closer and dearer.   

They became close to a Hawaiian family whose daughter was in Terry’s Kindergarten class.  During their time in the Islands, they shared a lot of meals and fell in love with the island inspired flavors and sauces.

When the Morrisey’s returned to the United States, they recreated the sweet-ginger teriyaki sauce to use in their deli on the Oregon Coast.  The mainland didn’t have a thick, sweet-ginger teriyaki sauce like the Islands are famous for.  They began doing food events and fairs serving up the sauce and the response was amazing.  People fell in love with the sweet Island flavor and wanted to take a bottle home.

The turning point came in 1989 when Penny”IPO” , the little girl Terry had in her Kindergarten class in the Marshall Islands, visited the Morrisey’s in Oregon and encouraged them to market it.  She also helped in keeping the Island influence in the design of the label. They took it to the local print shop and the very first bottles of Keli’s Teriyaki Sauce were born. Thus, they named the company after her, IPO Sauce, Inc. “IPO” in Hawaiian means “Sweetheart.”