Issei

From very early on, Mika Shino followed her curiosity and passion in life, allowing her to learn, travel, grow and work in several capacities, as an artist, a dancer, a diplomat, and an entrepreneur. Everything she does shares a common element – to create something that can build bridges between people, celebrate diversity and make a positive impact in the world. In 2022, frustrated by the lack of clean-label options for her kids who love gummy candies, Mika became inspired by her Japanese heritage and began to bake mochi cakes in her kitchen. She baked them longer and added different ingredients, trying to emulate the chewy texture of traditional gummies by using a mixture of rice and tapioca flours, instead of gelatin. She cut them up into bite-sized pieces and called them ‘mochi gummies’. Her kids loved them, their friends loved them and Issei was born. Having never worked in the food industry and knowing no one in the food sector, Mika had no idea how to get on a store shelf but she knew that what she was making for her kids could help other mothers, parents and families in finding a cleaner, better-for-you snack. Mika created Issei, a woman and minority owned company to challenge the traditional ways in which we are used to consuming snacks which are laden with animal-derived ingredients and chemically enhanced additives; at the same time innovating to expand the scope of textures, flavors and ingredients inspired by her Asian heritage for a more inclusive food culture.