The Story Behind

Bringing Local Food to the World!

— The Story Behind Unmai

“I want to start a store that delivers authentic Japanese ingredients overseas. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

That's what my boss said to me on my first day back at work in the spring of 2025, after my maternity and childcare leave.
He’s always like that—sudden, out of the blue.
But once he says it, there’s no turning back.

Besides, the job I used to do before my leave had already been passed on to someone else.

I’ve always been a foodie.
I love traveling and even sleeping in the car just to find good local eats.

But honestly, I’d never been that particular about where ingredients came from.
I didn’t even know where to begin.
So I opened my laptop and typed in “organic food.”

And wow—just look at how many online stores popped up.

The more I researched, the clearer it became:
In today’s world, food is often full of unnecessary additives or made from ingredients of unknown origin.

That’s why more and more people are choosing food that’s good for both their bodies and the planet.
The popularity of farmers’ markets and local food fairs makes perfect sense.

I instantly realized just how strong the demand really was.

But even as a Japanese person, I found it hard to tell the difference between all these “natural” and “organic” sites.

So how confusing must it be for people overseas?
On top of that, most of these stores only ship domestically.

Language, distance, cost—so many barriers stand in the way.
I figured that’s exactly why my boss saw an opportunity.

“To build a space where people around the world can discover and enjoy truly authentic Japanese food.”

So, in a world full of countless competitors, how do we stand out?

I went back to the word my boss used: authentic.
    •    Avoiding unnecessary pesticides and additives as much as possible
    •    Safe, trustworthy, and most importantly, delicious
    •    Knowing who made it, and with what passion

One more thing I wanted to highlight was the value of "local".

When I travel, I always choose local eateries over chain restaurants.

Because local food comes with stories and culture that you can’t find anywhere else.

Local foods made with time, care, and love.
Some producers even go the extra mile to earn the official Organic JAS certification.
But due to limited advertising power, their products often get overshadowed by those of major brands, failing to reach a wider audience.

That’s just too sad. Mottainai!

That's why we especially focus on highlighting not just well-known producers, but also small-scale, local artisans who create authentic products with real passion and craftsmanship.

Japan is full of incredible makers.
I want to meet them, hear their stories, taste their creations, and share them with the world.
Since starting this project, I’ve gained yet another reason to travel.

Kiriyama