Upper Crust Enterprises is an American company and our story is uniquely American. We’re a company founded in California by the sons of Japanese immigrants.
Masashi Kawaguchi
Our origins are in post-war California. It was 1955. After the war, Masashi Kawaguchi, a successful entrepreneur and Japanese-American internment company survivor, founded Fishking Processors (Mrs. Friday’s fish company) and was using imported Japanese Panko to coat his shrimp and fish products. With hard work and ingenuity, Mrs. Friday’s Panko-coated shrimp and fish products became very successful in the foodservice industry. Demand for Mrs. Friday’s shrimp products grew and so did the company’s needs for authentic Japanese-style Panko.
In the early 1980’s, our family began producing Panko locally, using all Japanese-made equipment and producing our product the authentic, Japanese way.
Word spread that Authentic Panko could be purchased locally and Mrs. Friday’s began selling to the Japanese trade. Discerning restaurants valued the uniquely light – never oily and delicious fried foods they could only produce using our Panko and they respected how closely we followed authentic Japanese Panko production methods.
Our Panko is different and better because we knead and rise our dough differently – slower and longer than other brands. This kneading and rising process locks in millions of tiny air pockets so our crumbs are far less dense than competing Panko. Being less dense than other Pankos, your fried foods are crispy and never oily.
The Chefs that support our products like the plate presentation they can deliver with it. The long fibers in our naturally dried breads hold their structure during the grinding phase and the result is a unique, light & airy sliver shaped crumb. These sliver-shaped crumbs make portions look larger on the plate and give your fried foods a nice, crispy but not oily texture.
We officially became Upper Crust Enterprises in 2006, when Mrs. Friday’s was merged with King & Prince Seafood and Gorton’s. . At that time, Gary Kawaguchi, Masashi Kawaguchi’s son, who built the Panko plant and managed from inception, became our present CEO and owner.
These days, we continue to serve the foodservice industry and we’ve also built a successful international business shipping authentic Panko to over 15 different countries. In the US, we’re enjoying new business with many non-Asian restaurants who use Upper Crust Enterprises Panko because it works so well in many “American” meals – from meatloaf to fish and chips.
Visit www.Uppercrustent .com to learn more about our company and products, view 120+ menu application ideas and watch our plant tour video to learn how authentic Panko is made.
Take the challenge! Try Upper Crust Enterprises Panko bread crumbs and see for yourself how our authentic, Japanese-style Panko bread crumbs will:
- Taste lighter and crisper than competition
- Stay crispy longer than competition
- Provide a better yield than standard bread crumbs.
Order your free sample kit today!
