Tokyo, Japan-headquartered Morinaga & Co., Ltd., the holding company of Morinaga America and a leading global confectionery manufacturer, announced on March 9 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire My/Mochi Ice Cream, the largest mochi ice cream brand in the United States. This strategic acquisition will bring together two businesses with strong brand heritage, deep category expertise, and complementary capabilities.
Morinaga recently unveiled plans to expand HI-CHEW production capacity in the United States, with the opening of its second factory in 2027. To build upon this expansion and further accelerate its long-term growth strategy, the company will now add the My/Mochi brand to its portfolio. As noted by Circana’s MULO + Conv 2025 Week 52 data, the USA novelty ice cream market has demonstrated steady expansion in recent years, reaching an estimated $8.6 billion in sales in 2025. With North America being one of Morinaga’s priority global growth regions, this acquisition enables the company to enter the nation’s frozen dessert market at full scale, while supporting 2030 Morinaga business goals and beyond.
My/Mochi is known for its multi-textural sensation of cool, creamy premium ice cream wrapped in sweet, pillowy rice dough. Rooted in Japanese confectionery traditions and first introduced in Los Angeles in 1993, the brand has transformed this heritage into a modern, playful snacking experience. According to the latest 52-week SPINS MULO data ending January 25, 2026, My/Mochi rang up $80 million in sales, reinforcing its position as the category leader in mochi ice cream.
“In welcoming My/Mochi to the Morinaga family, we see a tremendous opportunity to build a sustainable snacking business positioned for future growth,” said Teruhiro Kawabe, chief representative for the USA as well as president and chief executive officer of Morinaga America. “We will honor the heritage and innovation behind My/Mochi while combining the strengths of our brands to bring even more fun and excitement to consumers and customers across the United States.”
Leveraging Morinaga’s expertise and flavor innovation in frozen confectionery including but not limited to popsicles, ice cream bars, sandwich ice cream, chocolate-coated ice cream, and single-sized cup ice cream, this acquisition will enhance My/Mochi’s product development capabilities while benefiting from Morinaga’s brand-building and commercial strengths. Together, the companies are poised to accelerate innovation and unlock new growth opportunities in the frozen snack category.
