First Panko manufacturer in the U.S.

To maintain the company’s high level of quality and differentiation, the Kawaguchi family introduced to the U.S. “Panko” - Japanese Bread Crumbs as a coating on its seafood. The Panko coated shrimp and fish became a hit with restaurants nationwide. Originally the Panko bread crumbs were imported; however, in the early 1980’s the family decided to build a facility and manufacture their own Japanese Panko Bread Crumb. It was the first Panko manufacturer in the U.S.

Upper Crust Enterprises, Inc. is Born

In 2006, when the Mrs. Friday’s breaded seafood operation was merged and moved out of California, Gary purchased the Panko operation and changed the name to Upper Crust Enterprises, Inc. Gary continued the business and his family’s life-long dream of satisfying customers by providing innovative Japanese quality Panko Bread Crumbs and Tempura Batter mix.

The manufacturing plant remains where it was originally built. The operation has continuously been modernized to keep pace with the growing needs of our customers. The offices were refurbished to accommodate the administrative team. Most of our working teams were previously employed by Mrs. Friday’s; with many employees having 20-30 years of experience. Our team members are familiar with the quality of our products and the demands of our customers which enable us to understand your needs.