The founder of Kazy’s Gourmet is none other than Kazy himself.  Kazy was born and raised in a small village in Shizuoka, Japan.  As a child, his interests were in Western movies and American culture.  Upon graduating from Iwata High School of Agriculture and Horticulture in 1964, Kazy’s decision to attend college prompted him to take off a year and teach himself several crucial subjects for the university entrance exam that he had not learned at his high school, which focused solely on agricultural subjects. He graduated from Meiji University in 1970 with a degree in commerce.  His next step was moving to America.  He had his heart set on establishing roots in Texas and proudly graduated from McMurry College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in business and minor in marketing.

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In an effort to integrate his Japanese culture with the American lifestyle, he opened Kazy’s Food Mart, a modest grocery store, in 1979. Kazy’s passion sparked curiosity and interest in Texans, which soon led to a devoted following. When Japanese restaurants began popping up in the area, Kazy decided to branch out into the wholesale business to capture an even larger audience. Kazy was a pioneer in opening the doors of early Dallas to Japanese food and his influence can be seen today in the quality and abundance of Japanese restaurants in the area.

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30 years and two locations later, Kazy’s Gourmet Shop is a strong wholesaler force in the DFW metroplex Japanese restaurant market. Kazy’s original purpose has not been lost or forgotten, though, and we still pride ourselves on the food served in our sushi bar and products sold in our grocery store.

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Sadly, Kazy peacefully passed away in 2010, but his business and legacy proudly live on with the dedication of his loyal employees under new leadership.  Long time general manager Roda works collaboratively with Akemi, Kazy’s daughter who is now the new owner, to proudly begin a fresh and exciting chapter in Kazy’s Gourmet history.