Hi-Chew

Hi-Chew · Japan
Snacks & Sweets Candy & Gummy Ambient Established export

Intensely fruity soft chewy candy and Japan's #1 candy export success story: US sales grew from $8M to over $100M (2021), targeting $250M by 2030, with a dedicated plant in Mebane, North Carolina making 7M+ pieces/day. Distributed in mainstream US retail (Target, Walmart, Costco), breaking out of the Asian-aisle ghetto. The benchmark for Japanese-candy mass-market success.

The supplierGlobal major: Morinaga & Co., Ltd. Has a US plant (Morinaga America, North Carolina) and strong US/UK/AU distribution; highly export- and English-B2B-mature; Hi-Chew is its global hero brand.
Why it sells abroadIntensely fruity chewy candy with cult US following; Japan-exclusive flavors drive haul demand; texture differentiator vs Western chews.

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

CertificationsCRITICAL CORRECTION: Standard Hi-Chew contains GELATIN (multiple sources report pork-derived gelatin in fruit chews) — NOT Halal, NOT Kosher, NOT vegetarian for standard SKUs. Halal: not publicly verified (standard product not Halal). Kosher: not publicly verified. Morinaga plants (incl. US) operate FSSC 22000 / SQF / HACCP (corporate practice). Buyers must verify gelatin source per SKU/market; do not market as Halal/Kosher without certificate.
Pack formatsRetail: 12-piece stick ~57g; stand-up bags ~90-100g. Typical case: stick x10/inner x15/case; bag x outer carton. (keep claimed)
Shelf lifeTypical 12 months ambient. (keep claimed)
StorageAmbient, cool/dry; avoid heat (chews soften).
Minimum orderTypical: importer case minimums; US-produced lines reduce import friction for Americas; FCL for Japan-direct flavors.
Lead timeTypical: 2-4 weeks US-produced; 4-8 weeks Japan-direct exclusive flavors.
CapacityVery high; Japan + US plants.
Container loadTypical: 20ft ~1,500-2,000 cartons.
PricingEstimate: JPY ~120-250 per stick / USD ~1-2 per bag wholesale.
OEM / private labelNo — branded (confirmed).
Wholesale & MOQMorinaga America (sole US distributor) direct + DSD; specialty-candy distributors elsewhere; MOQ by case
Key exporters & distributorsMorinaga & Co., Morinaga America Inc.
Export regulationMilk/soy allergens; some variants contain gelatin (halal/vegetarian note); synthetic colours subject to EU warning labels; US production simplifies FDA compliance; long ambient shelf life.
Market demandVery high; mainstream US/CA/AU supermarket plus Asian grocery; viral flavor-drop and TikTok taste-test demand; Japan-exclusive flavors premium.
How to source itMorinaga America (Americas) / Morinaga Japan export division / authorized distributors; direct B2B; FOODEX; JETRO/GFP. (keep claimed)
Verified sourceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-Chew; https://gelatinrecipes.com/do-hi-chews-have-gelatin/
MakerMorinaga & Co.
OriginJapan
CategorySnacks & Sweets / Candy & Gummy
Available inUnited States, Canada, China +5 more
HandlingAmbient
Price tierMid
ChannelMass
Export readinessEstablished export
HS code1704.90
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Profile maintained by Japonity (japonity.com), May 2026. General sourcing information only — confirm current availability, pricing, MOQ and the destination market's import rules with the maker or exporter before contracting. Japonity is not affiliated with this brand.