Umma’s

Meet Efrain Berrios-Baik and Justine George of Umma’s!

Specialty: Kimchi and Kothai

How long have you been in business?
Less than a year, officially started selling in August 2022

How’d you get started and what sparked the idea for your business?
My girlfriend and I visited my parents’ home in the mainland where my umma (Korean for mom) prepared a salad with “Kothai” Sauce as the dressing. We asked her where she purchased the sauce and she told us she made it from scratch. We half-jokingly said she should try bottling and selling the sauce. She suggested taking the recipe for the sauce along with her kimchi recipes back to Hawaii to sell at the farmers market and UMMA’S was born.

What do you wish you had known before starting your business?
My goodness, there are so many things! Maybe the amount of paperwork involved no matter how small your business is, haha.

What are you most proud of about your business?
My parents’ support and encouragement.

What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?
Getting to grow our business with my girlfriend. Also the community is amazing!

What’s one piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs?
Not sure if we have the experience to be giving advice, but I’d say be patient and open minded to constructive criticism.

What makes your business unique/special?
I feel my mother’s Gwangju-style recipes sets us apart from other kimchi makers.

What’s your best seller at the moment?
It’s a back-and-forth between our traditional Won Bok Cabbage Kimchi and Japanese Cucumber Kimchi.

What’s next for you and your business?
We hope to someday be able to make a modest living running UMMA’S full-time, but we know it’s a journey which we’re loving!