"I'm currently helping with the design of an iriko shop," said a designer friend as they casually showed me the packaging. It was a design that was sophisticated yet warm and memorable.
Drawn to that packaging, I quickly visited the Kurashiki Sansaichi, where I found food products that are particular about their ingredients and the straightforward thoughts of their creators.
I would like to introduce "Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo," which delivers food products utilizing the blessings of the Seto Inland Sea and Okayama.
What is Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo
Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo is a food brand developed by FP Commerce Co., Ltd. (Kurashiki City).
They plan, manufacture, and sell food products that utilize the rich blessings of the region, such as small fish like ma-makari and iriko from the Seto Inland Sea, shrimp, and black soybeans from Okayama Prefecture.
FP Commerce was founded in 1999 and is a specialty store dealing in high-quality recycled toner and other office supplies made in Japan. Although it seems to be a completely different field from Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo, the attitude of "determining quality and delivering responsibly" remains unchanged and is passed down to the product creation of Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo.
“As it is,” delivering things that make the body happy
Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo was established in 2009 as a new business of FP Commerce Co., Ltd. by its representative Sanada Yasumasa.
Regarding the reason for challenging the completely different field of food, Sanada said, "Because it is a completely different field, even if one does not succeed, we can recover. I wanted to be able to nurture both."
The reason for choosing small fish as the product's ingredient is that Sanada was born and raised in the Sabi area (Kurashiki City, Tamashima Kurosaki). Seafood has been a familiar ingredient since childhood, but it has been said that the generation of his children is increasingly moving away from fish, leading to a deficiency in the nutrients that should be obtained from fish.
Therefore, in order to make fish easier and more delicious to eat, they aimed to create products that anyone can safely enjoy, with the concept of "gentle on the body and delicious."
We want to deliver things that are delicious to eat and make the body happy
That was the beginning of Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo.
Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo's products are finished with as little added flavor as possible, using roasting and high-temperature, high-pressure pressing methods. All manufacturing is done by hand. Together with family and local Kurashiki staff who have supported them since the beginning, they continue to carefully make each piece, one by one.
"To deliver to many people," creating excitement from the moment you pick it up
Since around 2020, Sanada has gradually started to carry out some of the on-site operations together with his daughter Hirano Yoko.
After starting to manage operations, Hirano learned about the current situation of stagnant sales and the numerous challenges they faced. She realized that the previous "helping" role did not reveal the actual circumstances, and she felt a strong need for change, saying, "This cannot continue."
Although it may not be glamorous, if people eat it, its goodness will surely be conveyed. How can we get more people to pick it up?
After days of staring at the books and worrying while looking at the products in the factory, Hirano resolved to take action.
First, she completely re-evaluated the package design, aiming to create an impression that excites people the moment they pick it up and makes them want to give it as a gift.
No matter how confident they are in the contents, they cannot convey the product's goodness unless people first pick it up. It will not lead to sales. She faced this challenge head-on and took a new step to convey the product's appeal.
Gradually, this movement began to take shape, and products started to gain attention at morning markets and events. There were increasing voices that had not been heard before, such as "It's cute and I couldn't help but pick it up" and "It's just right as a souvenir."
Products of Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo that embody "gentle on the body and delicious"
In 2025, it will be 16 years since the brand was established.
We will introduce representative products of Umikatsu Yamakatsu Honpo, which are beginning new developments triggered by the renewal of the packaging.
Crispy Thin Baked Senbei
This is a thin baked senbei made by placing carefully selected ingredients on a fish paste dough and baking it one by one by hand using a unique "high-temperature, high-pressure press" method.
The ingredients are four types: ma-makari, shrimp, black soybeans, and nori.
Ma-makari and shrimp are from the Seto Inland Sea, black soybeans are the specialty "Sakushu Black" from the Katsue area in northeastern Okayama Prefecture, and nori is now made with "Okayama Nori" as part of this renewal.
As the name suggests, the crispy lightness and roasted flavor are pleasantly addictive.
Chobitto Series
The packaging of the "Chobitto Series" features the characters "海" (sea), "山" (mountain), "ま" (ma), and "え" (e) printed in an impressive manner.
- "海" (sea) is a mix of iriko and shrimp from the Seto Inland Sea with Okayama Prefecture's black soybeans (Sakushu Black).
- "山" (mountain) is large Sakushu black soybeans.
- "ま" (ma) is ma-makari from the Seto Inland Sea.
- "え" (e) is shrimp from the Seto Inland Sea.
You can enjoy the blessings of the sea and mountains, "just a little bit at a time."
Crispy Seafood and Mountain Mix
This product features a mix of dried sardines from the Seto Inland Sea, along with mamakari, shrimp, and black soybeans, all without added salt. You can enjoy the light texture and different flavors of each ingredient.
What I want you to pay attention to is the seemingly plain and often overlooked "iriko" (dried sardines).
While it may be overshadowed by the famous Okayama souvenir "mamakari" and the photogenic "shrimp," it is actually this iriko that embodies the ingenuity of Umisachi Yamasachi Honpo.
By pressing each sardine individually at high temperature and high pressure, it achieves a lightness and crispy texture that is completely different from the typical "iriko" (dried sardines) found in supermarkets. I was also surprised that the usual bitterness and odor associated with iriko are hardly noticeable.
Try tasting it at the morning market and experience that crispy texture for yourself.
Fish Chips
Made from fish paste, which is also used for crispy thin rice crackers, these chips are carefully baked with far infrared rays. They have a light, crunchy texture that makes them irresistible once you start eating.
This product has been popular for some time, but both the packaging and the name have been renewed to make them easier to read.
I spoke with Hirano Yoko about the future of Umisachi Yamasachi Honpo.
Umisachi Yamasachi Honpo (FP Commerce Co., Ltd.) Data
For information on stores and morning market appearances, please check the <a href="https://setosea.com">official website</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/umisachi.yamasachi.honpo/">Instagram</a>.
| Organization Name | Umisachi Yamasachi Honpo (FP Commerce Co., Ltd.) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food and Confectionery Manufacturing and Sales |
| Representative Name | Sanada Yasumasa |
| Year Established | 2009 (Founded in 1999) |
| Address | 658-14 Nitta, Nishi-Achi-cho, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 086-466-4665 |
| Website | Kurashiki Umisachi Yamasachi Honpo |
