Today we’re interviewing Satoshi Umino, founder of Sustainable Foods Asia, a consulting firm that helps companies enter the Japanese market. Satoshi personally works with companies to prop and pop up restaurants and educates consumers about unique food ingredients.

I’ve met Satoshi multiple times when I was back in the United States and it’s been real good bumping into him. It seems like a lot of Japanese companies are going to the United States to find the next big innovation. Our manufacturing partner has been courting through Japanese companies through his facility so something’s there.

Satoshi does a great job describing the Japanese’s culture when it comes to tasting food and it’s been real interesting learning about how he’s introducing new food to the Japanese market. Pay attention specifically how he introduces things like jackfruit, spirulina and moringa, all fantastically new ingredients, to Japan

Our world is global, and food itself is global and people like Satoshi are needed to explain just why our global food system is so cool.

Satoshi echo’s Akiko’s interview in what the Japanese consumers look for in terms of the values go for food and some clarification on what the Japanese want in their food.

It’s always amazing just thinking about the new friendships I’ve made throughout this journey and just having a network of global faces that I’ve seen coming to America has been absolutely wonderful.