Hideo Kawamura founded Maruhide Marine Products in 1975. He came to the United States with only $400 in his pocket but with a humble dream to make a name for himself. Hideo started working in the kitchen as a dishwasher, staff, and bartender. One day, he saw sea urchin being thrown away and saw a business opportunity.
Determined, he looked for investors and started Maruhide Marine Products. Our company started as a small factory uni processor in Long Beach, California. He saw everyone in the United States working 8 hours a day. As a foreigner, he had a mindset of working twice as many hours in order to succeed. Hideo believed in only selling the best uni he could get his hands on. His resilience and dedication to his craft allowed MMP to become the most successful uni factory in the United States today. Today, our factory is over 10 times the size, and we had tremendous growth.
Sea urchin was Hideo’s heart and soul, and his legacy continues. His family is dedicated into preserving the original business model trusted by the culinary community, that uni should be cracked, packed, and shipped on the same day to ensure freshness.
Maruhide exists not only to celebrate his legacy, but also to build the company for our future generations. We hope to connect people and bridge communities through delicious food experiences. We’re here to give back to our community, which allowed us to live the American Dream and support our family.
There is a Japanese adage, Go-en, which means serendipitous encounters that result in long and meaningful relationships. We hope our products bring people together at the dinner table and bring you a moment of happiness.
