Luxury sushi producer in nationwide expansion
Luxury sushi producer Uramaki has launched a UK-wide delivery service thanks to support from The Food Innovation Centre at the University of Nottingham.
The West Bridgford-based company – established during the first lockdown in 2020 – was put in touch with the Food Innovation Centre by business support organisation Nottingham Business Venture.
Food innovation technologist Jack Wallman helped the firm to source packaging which keeps the sushi in tip-top condition during transportation, allowing Uramaki to establish and quickly grow its nationwide delivery operation.
Rachel Thacker, who runs Uramaki with chef husband Paul, said: “We needed to secure the sushi so that it arrived at its destination intact and wanted to include special slots for the wasabi, ground ginger and soy bottle. Jack helped to work through the vision and helped to source packaging suppliers.
“The cases we decided on are more compact, so the sushi doesn’t move around during transit, with a liner inside for the accompaniments. This means we can now deliver nationwide, knowing that the sushi has been carefully and optimally packaged.”
The Uramaki team also includes award-winning sushi chef Jaturavit Saysena.
Thacker added: “Support from the Food Innovation Centre has been really helpful for us. We were a new business in lockdown and if you haven’t got the skill base to solve particular challenges or don’t know how to get the information that you need, it’s really helpful to be able to speak to someone like Jack. It’s someone believing in your vision and helping you to reach the next step.”
The Food Innovation Centre is based at the Bioenergy and Brewing Science building at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington campus. It offers free support to eligible small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire under the Driving Research and Innovation project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) via the D2N2 LEP.
Richard Worrall, who runs the Food Innovation Centre, said: “We are very pleased to hear that the Uramaki team has been able to introduce a nationwide delivery service. Lockdown proved to be a catalyst for a number of new food and drink businesses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and we are delighted to be supporting them on their journeys as they develop.”
