Mikawaya facts for kids
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| Industry | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1910 in Los Angeles, California |
| Founder | Ryuzaburo Hashimoto |
| Headquarters | Torrance, California |
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Key people
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Frances Hashimoto (President and CEO 1970–2012) |
| Products | |
Mikawaya is an American company that makes delicious sweets, especially Japanese pastries, snacks, and desserts. They create traditional Japanese treats called wagashi, and also a popular modern dessert called mochi ice cream. Mochi ice cream was invented by Mikawaya's former boss, Frances Hashimoto. Today, it's the main reason why Mikawaya sells so many products!
Contents
Mikawaya: A Sweet History
Mikawaya started as a small shop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles in 1910. It was a family business that made traditional Japanese sweets called wagashi.
Starting Small in Los Angeles
In 1942, the owners, Koroku and Haru Hashimoto, had to close their shop. This happened because of World War II. Like many other Japanese Americans, they were forced to move to special camps, like the Poston War Relocation Center in Poston, Arizona. After the war ended and they were released, the Hashimotos came back to Los Angeles. They reopened Mikawaya on December 23, 1945.
A New Leader: Frances Hashimoto
Frances Hashimoto became the boss of Mikawaya in 1970. She was 27 years old at the time. Her mother asked her to join the family business after her father passed away. Frances was an elementary school teacher. She thought about it for six months before deciding to leave teaching and join Mikawaya.
Growing the Business
Frances Hashimoto wanted Mikawaya to grow beyond just one store in Little Tokyo. She worked hard to make this happen.
Expanding to New Places
In 1974, Frances opened a second bakery in Los Angeles. As the company's CEO and president, she helped Mikawaya open more stores. They added locations in Little Tokyo, Torrance, California, Gardena, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. However, the main store in Little Tokyo closed its doors for good on June 29, 2021.
The Invention of Mochi Ice Cream
Frances Hashimoto is famous for inventing the popular mochi ice cream. She also played a big part in bringing it to people in America through Mikawaya.
How Mochi Ice Cream Was Born
In the early 1990s, Frances's husband, Joel Friedman, first thought of the idea. He imagined wrapping small balls of ice cream with a soft, chewy layer of mochi. Mochi is a sweet Japanese rice cake. Frances then took this idea and made it even better. She offered seven different flavors of mochi ice cream made by Mikawaya.
Mochi Ice Cream Takes Off
The mochi ice cream line became very popular with customers. It helped Mikawaya sell more than just traditional Japanese pastries like chestnut buns. Now, Mikawaya sells its mochi ice cream in many big grocery stores. You can find it in places like Albertsons, Trader Joe's, Ralphs, and Safeway. Today, mochi ice cream makes up most of Mikawaya's sales!
