What Umamimart, Llc does

Umami Mart, LLC is a privately-held specialty retail business that curates and sells Japanese sake, shochu, whisky, umeshu, beer, tea, non-alcoholic beverages, and Japanese housewares (barware, glassware, kitchen, dining, bath, tea accessories, and gifts) to consumers in the United States. The company operates three integrated channels: an e-commerce storefront at umamimart.com, a single physical retail shop and tasting bar at 4027 Broadway in Oakland, California (open Tue-Sun, 11am-7pm), and two monthly subscription clubs — Sake Gumi (starting at $55.00 per delivery) and Shochu Gumi — delivering curated Japanese spirits directly to members. The product portfolio combines curated third-party Japanese brands (Hasami porcelain, Suncraft knives, Tosaryu hinoki products) with private-label SKUs including Umami Mart Junmai Sake ($24/720ml), Umami Mart Matcha ($34), and branded barware such as the Seamless Plain Mixing Glass ($65) and Spherical Ice Tray ($17).

The business generates revenue through one-time product sales (e-commerce and in-store), recurring subscription memberships, $60/60-minute tasting bar reservations, ticketed events (including weekly 'Schochu's Day' tastings on Tuesdays and seasonal matsuri festivals), and sales of the published book 'Everyday Sake: The Go-To Guide for Choosing, Pairing + Serving' ($26.99, signed edition available) authored by founders Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori. Pricing on housewares spans $15-$87 and sake bottles from $24 upward, positioning the catalog in the accessible-premium tier.

The customer base comprises Japanese food and drink enthusiasts and lifestyle consumers seeking authentic Japanese culinary and home products in the US — primarily individual DTC buyers with no disclosed enterprise accounts. Marketing is driven through content (blog, book, newsletter), an active Instagram presence, and on-site events. Umami Mart is founder-operated with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, external funding rounds, or partnerships in the available source material; ownership and equity structure are not disclosed.

Name

Umamimart, Llc

Legal name

Umami Mart

Website

https://www.umamimart.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Umami Mart, LLC is a privately-held Oakland, California-based specialty retailer selling Japanese sake, shochu, and housewares via a US e-commerce site, a single retail shop with tasting bar, and monthly Sake Gumi and Shochu Gumi subscription clubs serving Japanese culinary enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Lifestyle Retail

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453), Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers (449)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Mixed Alcohol Specialty Retail (Beer/Wine/Spirits Combined) (CRANABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Daiso-Style Japanese/Asian Variety Stores (CRAEAGAE)

Keywords

• Japanese sake retail
• Japanese housewares shop
• Subscription spirits clubs
• Curated Japanese goods
• Japanese barware store

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland Mills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce & Retail): The company sells Japanese sake, spirits, whisky, shochu, umeshu, liqueurs, beer, tea, non-alcoholic beverages, and Japanese housewares including barware, glassware, kitchen items, dining products, bath products, tea accessories, and gifts through both online and physical retail channels.
2. Subscription Clubs (Sake Gumi & Shochu Gumi): Monthly subscription clubs delivering curated Japanese sake or shochu directly to customers. Sake Gumi starts at $55.00, providing recurring revenue through membership fees billed on a subscription basis.
3. Tasting Bar Reservations: The Oakland location features a tasting bar offering 60-minute reservation experiences for customers to sample Japanese spirits and sake. Reservations are sold as individual bookings.
4. Events: The company hosts events including Shochu Day (Tuesdays), sake tasting events, and seasonal matsuri (festivals) that generate revenue through ticket sales and increased product sales.
5. Published Book (Everyday Sake): The company publishes and sells 'Everyday Sake: The Go-To Guide for Choosing, Pairing + Serving' by Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori, priced at $26.99, available in signed and unsigned editions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Umami Mart curates and sells Japanese sake, shochu, whisky, umeshu, liqueurs, beer, tea, non-alcoholic beverages, and Japanese housewares (barware, glassware, kitchen items, dining products, bath products, tea accessories) through an e-commerce storefront and a physical retail shop with tasting bar in Oakland, CA. The company also operates monthly subscription clubs (Sake Gumi and Shochu Gumi), publishes a sake guidebook, and hosts educational events.

Product overview

Umami Mart is a Japanese-inspired retail business operating as both an e-commerce platform and a physical shop in Oakland, CA. The company offers a curated selection of Japanese alcoholic beverages (sake, shochu, whisky, spirits, umeshu, beer, tea, and non-alcoholic options) and Japanese lifestyle housewares (barware, glassware, kitchen items, pantry goods, dining, home goods, bath/wellness products, and tea accessories). The product portfolio includes subscription clubs (Sake Gumi and Shochu Gumi), a published book ('Everyday Sake' by Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori), and an in-store bar tasting service. The company also carries private-label products including Umami Mart Junmai Sake and Umami Mart Matcha, alongside curated third-party Japanese goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sake Gumi: Monthly sake subscription club
• Shochu Gumi
• Everyday Sake

Products and services

• Everyday Sake: The Go-To Guide for Choosing, Pairing + Serving A hardcover guidebook for choosing, pairing, and serving sake, authored by Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori. Priced at $26.99 with a signed edition available.
• Sake Gumi A monthly subscription club that delivers curated Japanese sake selections to members, starting from $55.00 per delivery.
• Shochu Gumi A monthly subscription club offering curated Japanese shochu selections delivered directly to members.
• Tasting Reservation (60 min) A 60-minute reservation at the Oakland tasting bar where customers sample Japanese spirits and sake. Priced at $60 per reservation.
• Umami Mart Junmai Sake (BTL 720ml) House-branded junmai sake sold in 720ml bottles, priced at $24.00.
• Umami Mart Seamless Plain Mixing Glass Japanese seamless plain mixing glass for cocktail preparation, priced at $65.00.
• Umami Mart Spherical Ice Tray Spherical ice tray for making ice balls for cocktails, priced at $17.00.
• Hinoki Bath Bag Japanese hinoki cypress bath bag, priced at $15.00.
• Umami Mart Matcha Japanese matcha green tea powder, private-label Umami Mart brand, priced at $34.00.
• Hasami Black Mug Medium (HPB020) Hasami porcelain black mug, 13 oz capacity, priced at $31.00.
• Luna Koshihikari Shinmai Organic Rice Organic Japanese short-grain rice in a 5lb bag, priced at $35.00.
• Hinoki Bath Mat 17" Japanese hinoki cypress bath mat, 17 inches, priced at $40.00.
• Suncraft Red Point Paring Knife Japanese paring knife with red point handle, priced at $28.00.
• Hinoki Stool Japanese hinoki cypress stool, priced at $87.00.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tippsy: Online sake retailer offering curated sake selections with subscription options and educational content. Directly comparable to Umami Mart's sake retail and Sake Gumi subscription model.
• True Sake: San Francisco-based sake shop and bar offering retail sake sales and on-premise tasting experiences. Closely mirrors Umami Mart's combination of specialty sake retail and tasting room format.
• Korin: Specialty retailer of Japanese tableware, knives, and kitchenware serving both consumers and professional chefs. Comparable to Umami Mart's housewares curation and Japanese product focus.
• MTC Kitchen: Online retailer specializing in Japanese cooking tools, tableware, and pantry ingredients for the home cook. Directly comparable to Umami Mart's housewares and Japanese pantry offerings.
• Caskers: Online marketplace and subscription service for premium and craft spirits. Comparable to Umami Mart's curated spirits retail and subscription-club model.
• Flaviar: Spirits tasting club and online retailer offering curated sample boxes and full-bottle sales. Comparable subscription alcohol business model to Sake Gumi and Shochu Gumi.

Broad incumbents

• Total Wine & More: Largest US specialty retailer of wine, beer, and spirits with broad selection including premium sake. Represents the broad-incumbent competitor Umami Mart competes against on selection and price.
• BevMo: Multi-state alcohol retail chain selling wine, beer, and spirits. Comparable as a broad-market incumbent that competes for the same consumer alcohol-spend wallet share.

Emerging players

• Sakuraco: Subscription box delivering curated Japanese snacks, tea, and lifestyle goods. Comparable subscription-based model focused on Japanese culture and products, though centered on snacks rather than beverages.
• Bokksu: Japanese snack and culture subscription box with curated treats and cultural storytelling. Comparable subscription-and-content model aimed at Japanese-culture enthusiasts in the US.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/umamimart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sake-service-institute-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Umamimart, Llc