We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Manami Kumagai a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Manami, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Hello! I am Manami – the owner of Mana’s Japanese home bakery. I was born and raised in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. After moving to the United States from Japan in December 2019, I often missed the traditional Japanese-style bread and less-sweet Japanese pastries. Also, my previous job was developing cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, and I had a hard time not using my hands to create something that people are looking for. When I discovered the opportunity to share a taste of home with my community, I opened my first home-based Japanese bakery in TX. Mana’s menu has both authentic Japanese bread, such as a milk bread AKA shoku-pan, and my original creation, such as Shirokuma.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As I mentioned before, my previous role was as a product formulator, where I quite literally stood on a scale 10 hours everyday—crafting innovative creations that consumers couldn’t find anywhere else on the market. That creative spirit eventually led me into the home bakery business. My business motto? – I want to give locals a taste of truly balanced Japanese breads and pastries.

Funny enough, despite being a baker, I’m not a fan of sugar—I can’t even drink coffee or tea with it! Yet, I still find myself craving something soft, creamy, and just sweet enough. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that struck that perfect balance in the American market… so, I decided to make it myself.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Connection is everything. Through social media, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many incredibly supportive individuals—like Mari and Haider, the owners of Shojo’s Dojo, who have truly encouraged my journey.

As a home baker, building relationships with customers during pop-up events has also played a huge role in establishing my reputation. These moments allow me to share not only my baked goods but also the cultural story behind them—highlighting what makes Japanese bread so unique in this industry.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

One of the most challenging moments in my business was when I received an order for 150 pastries—only to have my oven break down on the day of baking. I was sweating like a fountain! Thankfully, a kind friend came to the rescue and let me use their oven, allowing me to fulfill the order just in time. It was a stressful day, but a powerful reminder of the importance of community and support.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://manasjpbreadmiami.square.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manasjpbread_miami/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manasjpbreadmiami