LOS ANGELES Mikawaya USA is proudly celebrating 100 years as the finest maker
in traditional Japanese pastries. With success deeply rooted in Japanese
recipes, the company has embraced cultural fusion to create internationally
demanded desserts for the past century.
Mikawaya was founded on traditional Japanese pastries and that is what we are
known for, President and third-generation owner Frances Hashimoto said, but
these days, peoples tastes are much more international, which opens up
opportunities for broad, creative fusion between Japanese and American desserts
which we will continue to explore for the next hundred years.
Perhaps the most well-known multicultural dessert on the Mikawaya menu is Mochi
Ice Cream, a serving of ice cream wrapped in soft, fluffy, rice dough and dusted
with a white powdery coating. Traditionally, mochi was a treat enjoyed on New
Years, but Mikawaya made it mainstream when they combined it with ice cream and
made it available across the country in restaurants and grocery stores such as
Trader Joes, Gelsons, Bristol Farms, Andronicos and select Albertsons,
Ralphs, Jensens and HOWS Markets.
Mikawaya (pronounced me-kah-wah-ya) originated in the early 1900s when two
Japanese businessmen opened a bakery in Downtown Los Angeles. One of the owners
was from the Japanese province of Mikawa, and they added ya, which means store
in Japanese. In 1910, Hashimotos uncle purchased the bakery and later employed
his nephew and his nephews wife to help run the business. Hashimotos parents
purchased the business in 1925 and ran it until 1942 when they were relocated to
Arizona. They returned to Los Angeles in 1945 and reopened the shop next to the
original location. Hashimoto took over in 1973 and has successfully expanded the
business to include five retail stores, a bakery, a warehouse and an ice cream
manufacturing facility.
Following Mochi Ice Creams debut in the mid-90s, Mikawayas latest
Japanese-inspired creation is Mochilato, a serving of gelato wrapped in sweet,
rice dough. For more information about Mikawaya, visit http://www.mikawayausa.com
or for more information about Mochi Ice Cream or to become a brand ambassador,
please call Nurit Kotick at (626) 768-7602 or visit
http://www.mochiicecream.com.
Mikawaya is a 100-year-old family-run business that specializes in the creation
of fine Japanese pastries and desserts. Run by Frances Hashimoto and her husband
Joel Friedman, Mikawaya offers snack- and dessert-lovers alike an alternative to
traditional ice cream.
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