Sweet treats are made of P’s

An interview with Sweet P’s Handcrafted Ice Pops during a tasting at Kennedy Union rarely stays uninterrupted. A visitor drops by to gush about the family-run business and, moments later, a student unwraps his strawberry popsicle, inhales his bite and exclaims to the team: “Please keep doing what you’re doing!”

For the Marable-Howards (and for this reporter), these aren’t nuisances. They’re proof that Dayton embraces Sweet P’s, their ice pops and the family behind them.

Raymond Howard II ’03, who earned a bachelor’s and, in 2005, a master’s in business administration from the University of Dayton, is the operations manager at Sweet P’s, which brings smiles to Dayton with locally made frozen treats.

“The humanities and philosophy courses at UD gave me a moral compass,” Howard said. “We take those lessons into everything — being honest with customers, never cutting corners and finding the perfect fit for each person.”

Sweet P’s products are sold on campus, at Kennedy Union and Virginia W. Kettering cafeterias and special events such as the Eclipse Event, four Dorothy Lane Market locations, Dot’s Market in Centerville, Second Street Market, Sleepy Bee Café in Mason, Ohio, the Oregon District’s Culture restaurant and the Dayton Convention Center. The brand’s 300 cheerful, bright flavors — with ingredients sourced organically and locally whenever possible — reflect what has always guided the Marable-Howard family: joy, community and quality.

The story began in 2019 when Howard’s sister, CEO Danielle Edwards, purchased the business from its retiring founder.

“Danielle brought me along, our brother Michael as production manager and our mother,” Howard said. “We jumped in, of course. We come from a long line of entrepreneurs.”

“We want to be a positive presence — show what a family-owned, community-minded business can look like. We’ll be able to teach others about manufacturing, retail and relationship-building. Hopefully, we can help others follow behind us.”

Howard’s mother, Madonna Marable ’87, earned a master’s in social agency counseling from UD, inspired by her mother, June Morehead Marable ’66, who completed a master’s in guidance counseling from UD before earning a doctorate from Miami University and a Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary. Marable, who is Sweet P’s community engagement director, said her mother modeled faith, scholarship and public service — values aligned with UD’s Marianist tradition.

“I remember my mom’s graduation, it’s one of my earliest memories,” Howard said. “She was in her cap and gown right here at UD. Those moments planted a seed that never stopped growing.”

The Rev. Dr. Morehead Marable and her husband, James P. Marable Sr., opened one of Dayton’s first Black-owned daycare centers in the 1960s, later expanding into other ventures. Madonna Marable followed in their footsteps, building a career in counseling, education and social service before joining her children in Sweet P’s sales and catering.

“My heart sings watching my grown children work together,” Madonna Marable said. “How many families get to see that now? Everyone’s scattered. But here, I get to see my children and grandchildren collaborate. It’s a beautiful thing.”

That spirit of collaboration extends beyond family. The team recently announced plans to relocate production to Dayton’s historic Wright-Dunbar district. The move will enable greater public engagement, mentoring and workforce development.

“It’s one of the city’s most disadvantaged ZIP codes,” Madonna Marable said. “We want to be a positive presence — show what a family-owned, community-minded business can look like. We’ll be able to teach others about manufacturing, retail and relationship-building. Hopefully, we can help others follow behind us.”

“Life has ups and downs, but that joy carries you through.”

That commitment — to lift as they climb — echoes the Marable-Howard family’s long connection to education and social progress. Their family tree includes scholars, professors, a physician and even Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Manning Marable, Howard’s uncle, who earned the award posthumously in 2012 for Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.

“UD planted those seeds for high achievers and education,” Howard said. For the family, hard work, faith and love of community form a bridge from his grandmother’s days at UD to their continued partnership with the University as alumni vendors.

But one question remained: What does an ice pop represent for Howard?

He didn’t hesitate: joy.

“It’s what our brand is truly about,” he said. “Seeing a child smile after taking a bite, or hearing someone say ‘thank you’ — it changes your whole day. Life has ups and downs, but that joy carries you through.”

Photos by Sylvia Stahl '18