'JonnyPops' Owners Named To Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two local entrepreneurs were just named by Forbes Magazine on their 30 Under 30 list for 2018.

Erik Brust, 25, and Connor Wray, 25, are the co-founders of JonnyPops.  They make about 80,000 of the frozen fruit and cream treats out of their facility in St. Louis Park, a far cry from how it all began.

"It was pops in a blender in a dorm room basement," Wray laughed.

The two met as physics majors at St. Olaf College when they were 18. Brust pitched Wray the idea of making better tasting frozen bars.

"All of our pops are made with simple natural ingredients," Brust said. "It's fruit, cream, sugar, water and a pinch of salt."

They called them "JonnyPops" and started selling them at farmers markets. By the time the two graduated, the pops were in convenience stores. Today, you can buy JonnyPops at major retailers like Target and Costco, and they've expanded to selling around the Midwest and the country.

"It's a personal milestone for us," Brust said, in reference to the Forbes honor. "But excited for the team because it's a much bigger effort here than just the two of us."

The name of the company came from Brust's cousin Jonathan, who passed away before they launched their product.

Right now, JonnyPops has four new flavors in the works that will be in stores next year.