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Imuraya USA

Imuraya USA’s parent corporation, Imuraya Co., Ltd., was founded in Japan in 1896. In 2009, the company established its first manufacturing facility in the United States. This facility, now at 2502 Barranca Parkway in Irvine, employs approximately 75 workers to produce specialty food products made from mochi and azuki.

Mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake made from steaming and pounding sweet sticky rice. Azuki is a small bean, grown in East Asia or the Himalayas, that is used widely in Asian desserts.

Irvine Ranch Water District recognizes Imuraya USA to be a Certified WaterStar Business for implementing several water-saving, energy-saving and environmentally friendly measures at its Irvine facility.

These measures include:

  • The use of a water- and energy-efficient cooling tower/refrigeration system. The tower uses a chemical program that increases the cycles of concentration, which results in lower blowdown and less makeup water needed.
  • The replacement of a portion of turfgrass landscaping and sprayhead irrigation with drought-tolerant plants and drip irrigation to save water. Imuraya USA has plans to replace its remaining turfgrass, as well.
  • The refrigeration system turns off when it reaches an optimum cooling temperature, instead of just modulating. This results in energy savings.
  • The steam boiler system is 85 percent efficient (fuel-to-steam) compared to other steam boilers, which are 75 to 80 percent efficient. This reduces natural gas consumption.
  • The refrigeration system also uses a naturally occurring refrigerant gas (CO2), which is nontoxic and environmentally friendly.
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