Brian Nagele
Mochi is a fantastic, delicious dessert from the flavor-rich land of Japan. It’s a soft, sweet rice paste that can work in fruity, sugary, and even savory foods. While it’s already great on its own, combine it with ice cream, and you’ll get the ultimate dessert.
Mochi ice cream is a thing of beauty; a cold, creamy treat wrapped in a fluffy, sticky pillow; what could be better?
But where can you acquire this divine delicacy, you ask? In more places than you may think, as it turns out.
Below, I’ve curated a list of the six best mochi brands you can find in stores. This ranking includes brands and stores you can find in your neighborhood, and most brands also offer online shops and worldwide shipping.
While there are so many mochi ice cream brands out there, I think you’ll enjoy the variety and quality of these. There’s a reason we can call them the best mochi brands, after all.
Mikawaya
Mikawaya is an American-Japanese confectionery producer with a long and rich history.
Started in 1910 by husband and wife duo Koroku and Haru Hashimoto, it initially specialized in wagashi, a teacake made from rice dough or other plant-based ingredients.
Other than a three-year period when the Hashimotos were interned during WWII, Mikawaya has been going strong for over 110 years. It is still family owned and operated.
Recently, Mikawaya has added mochi ice cream to its list of delectable delights.
They offer 12 flavors, including green tea mochi, black sesame, strawberry, mango, mint chip, and island coffee.
Maeda-en
Looking to preserve the culture and methods of Japanese tea making and improve and invent new ways to enjoy matcha, Taku Maeda moved from Nagasaki to Southern California and founded Maeda-en in 1984.
Since then, the company has introduced products like matcha mochi ice cream and a matcha latte.
Today, Maeda-en offers a wide array of products, including teas, matcha powders, ice cream, and mochi ice cream. They use only 100% Japanese-grown tea.
Maeda-en sells a wide variety of teas, Japanese snacks, and even tableware. However, some items are only available in the online store or at certain retailers.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has been a grocery staple of many neighborhoods since 1967.
They offer a wide selection of foods and goods from across the world and even have a catalog of recipes on their site.
Trader Joe’s offers several mochi brands and flavors, mostly mochi ice cream.
Trader Joe’s even sells their own brand of mochi ice cream called “Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi.”
This mochi is made from ube (purple yam) ice cream covered in a rice-flour-based mochi wrap. It’s the perfect gluten-free treat for the summer.
These frozen treats come in a tremendous range of flavors. There is ice cream mochi, fruity mochi, savory chicken mochi, and mochi cake and pancake mixes.
Trader Joe’s has even managed to turn mochi into a crispy spicy chip.
Check out other favorites from Trader Joe’s frozen section!
Bubbies
Bubbies got its start in an unlikely place with an even more unlikely product.
In Honolulu in 1982, founder Leigh Truex began marketing dill pickles. Today the company base is located in Arizona, and they have expanded into various canned goods and condiments.
In 1985, Bubbies expanded into Bubbies Ice Cream and have since brought mochi ice cream to many countries around the world.
Bubbies offer over 25 flavors of mochi ice cream alone. Some of these flavors include cookies and cream, passion fruit, matcha green tea, pistachio, chocolate, and blood orange.
My/Mochi
Since 2015, My/Mochi has been spreading mochi ice cream throughout North America with new and fun flavors to try.
A subsidiary of Mikawaya, My/Mochi started its life as My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream, changing the name to My/Mochi in 2021.
While Mikawaya is credited with the invention of mochi ice cream, My/Mochi has sought to focus on bringing mochi ice cream to all of North America in an accessible way.
My/Mochi boasts over 20 flavors of ice cream, including pumpkin spice, cool peppermint, Neapolitan, coffee, s’mores, and horchata. They also sell non-dairy and vegan options, as well as seasonal selections.
You can purchase My/Mochi at various big box stores across the country, including Target, Walmart, ALDI, and Safeway.
If you don’t feel like leaving the house to get dessert, you can also order My/Mochi through Amazon Fresh and Instacart.
Mochidoki
Mochidoki is a confectionary store and snack bar that found its footing in New York in 2014, thanks to founder Ken Gordon.
If you want to pick up the mochi ice cream yourself, there are two stores, one in Soho and the other on the Upper East Side.
If you live in California, Mochidoki is soon opening in Santa Monica. You can also order online from anywhere in the world.
Mochidoki sells over 20 flavors of mochi ice cream and is constantly searching for new and trendy tastes to explore.
They boast collections like tropical, seasonal, classic, and Asian that include such flavors as jasmine boba, acai cacao crunch, purple sweet potato, espresso, salted caramel, and red bean.
They also offer vegan and gluten-free varieties.
The signature collection includes two mochis of the 12 best-selling flavors of mochi ice cream that Mochidoki offers. That’s 24 ice creams in total. They also sell gift cards, group gifts, tasting events, and catering.
