Okinawa Umibudo (Sea Grapes) — chilled/brined export

Okinawa Umibudo (海ぶどう) — Okinawa cultivators · Okinawa, Japan
Fresh & Specialty Seaweed Snack Chilled Growing export

Tank-cultivated Caulerpa lentillifera (sea grapes) with a caviar-like pop and briny taste; Japan pioneered commercial cultivation in 1986. Exported chilled or salt-preserved (rehydratable) to overseas Japanese-restaurant and specialty channels.

The supplierOkinawa tank cultivators producing year-round sea grapes; chilled for premium fresh and salted for shipping resilience.
Why it sells abroadSignature Okinawan delicacy with caviar-like texture; salted form solves export cold-chain fragility.

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

Certifications(confirmed) Land-based tank cultivation of Caulerpa lentillifera was developed by the Onna Village Fisheries Cooperative (Okinawa, 1994 onward); commercial export occurs via Okinawa promotion bodies. Subject to Japan's mandatory HACCP food-hygiene law and food-safety testing. Specific cultivator HACCP certificates and 'local certification' not individually publicly verified.
Pack formatsChilled tray packs (with brine/seawater cup); salt-preserved bulk pouches (dehydrated-in-brine for shipping, rehydrated at destination)
Shelf lifeChilled fresh ~5-10 days; salt/brine-preserved months (draft retained)
StorageFresh: keep at room-to-cool temperature, NOT refrigerated below ~10C (cold damages the beads); brined: ambient until rehydrated, then consume quickly
Minimum orderTypical: per-case (chilled) / bulk (salted)
Lead timeTypical: 1-3 days air (chilled); sea (salted)
CapacityYear-round tank cultivation
Container loadAir (chilled) / ambient (salted)
PricingTypical: premium per-pack
OEM / private labelYes (salt-preserved/brined bulk supplied for repackers is a real format in this category; draft retained, but specific OEM contracts not independently verified)
Wholesale & MOQTypical: chilled small packs / salted bulk, per-case
Key exporters & distributorsOkinawa sea-grape cultivators / prefectural exporters
Export regulationLive/chilled sea grapes are temperature-sensitive (must NOT be refrigerated below ~15C — they shrink/melt); salt-preserved form is shelf-stable and rehydrated before serving. Confirm food-safety/labeling; salted form best for export logistics.
Market demandNiche but distinctive demand in overseas Japanese restaurants
How to source itOkinawa Caulerpa cultivators (e.g. Onna-son cooperative lineage) -> exporter / Okinawa export-promotion council -> air (chilled) or sea (salted/brined) -> restaurant/specialty importer
Verified sourceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caulerpa_lentillifera; https://marutto-okinawa.jp/en_products/sea-grapes/; https://shun-gate.com/en/roots/roots_127/
MakerOkinawa Caulerpa (sea-grape) tank cultivators
OriginOkinawa, Japan
CategoryFresh & Specialty / Seaweed Snack
Available inUnited States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan
HandlingChilled
Price tierPremium
ChannelFoodservice
Export readinessGrowing export
HS code1212.29
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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.