He started a cafe in KL to make his Japanese mum’s F&B dreams come true

For many of us, starting a business with our parents might seem messy, unrealistic or even downright nightmarish.

But for one Yukan Sawaki, getting people to know of his mother’s choux cream puffs (or Shu Cream, as they call it) was a long-lasting dream that was worth whatever struggle.

It has been about 43 years since Kiyomi Sawaki left her hometown, Toyama, for Malaysia, where she married her husband and raised three children. 

Affectionately called Aunty Kiyomi, the 67-year-old is now obachan to five grandchildren, and is one of the forces behind Yorimichi Cafe.

Aunty Kiyomi’s son, Yukan a.k.a. Mark is the other. With a background in metallurgical engineering, Mark has indeed come a long way. 

From working for his father’s submarine cable installation company and laying underwater power cables in Labuan, he now runs an aquaponics farm in Rawang, and of course, Yorimichi Cafe, where he brings a taste of his mother’s home to a small hidden corner in KL.

Born of a mother’s childhood memories and forged by her son’s hands, Yorimichi Cafe is powered by an honest dream to share Japanese culture and cuisine with locals.

Childhood cravings

“When she first came to Malaysia, there were only sweet buttercream cakes, unlike now where you can easily get fancy nice cakes, and she never saw any Shu Cream. Back in Japan, Shu Cream was something she liked as a child and it always made her happy when she eats them,” said Mark of his mother to Vulcan Post.

For 35 years now, the housewife has been making Shu Cream to the taste she remembers from her childhood. From birthday parties to annual festivities, whenever her Shu Cream gets brought out, they are always quick to go.

As such, when an opportunity came knocking in the form of an available space in the UR-MU building in KL, it was an obvious decision for Mark to get his mother’s Shu Creams on the public stage.

“My wife on the other hand was cautious and not keen because it is going into uncharted territory. We do not know how to do F&B business,” said Mark.

Along with Mark’s mother, his wife, Xin Ying, is also heavily involved in the business. With a decade-long corporate background as a business development manager, it was clearly important for Mark to seek her recommendation and approval.

“After a great deal of convincing, my wife finally agreed for us to take this opportunity.”

And so, Mark said that with nearly RM140,000 of personal savings invested into transforming the 600 sq ft space and starting the business, Yorimichi Cafe was established, targeted at Petaling Street visitors looking for Japanese cuisine and a matching atmosphere.

“The cafe name Yorimichi means ‘detour and drop by’ and the logo has a music note which is the rest note—in summary, come and rest, while enjoying some Japanese flavours,” said the founder.

Indeed, the interior of the cafe is heavily inspired by the mother-and-son duo’s hometown, Toyama, and its overlooking snowy mountains.

Paired with wooden furnishings and a minimalist design, Yorimichi Cafe is vividly Japanese, alluding to the homely meals and traditional Japanese desserts on the menu.

Every day, Aunty Kiyomi prepares her signature Shu Creams, along with the classics, the Very Matcha Cake and the Choco-nut cake. She also prepares Kirimochi, a shelf-stable form of mochi, for serving.

When she’s not hustling in the kitchen, however, Aunty Kiyomi goes around the cafe, chatting with customers new and regular alike, bringing not just her desserts, but also a certain warmth to the cafe’s daily operations.

Alongside the desserts, the menu also features meals such as bestsellers Mentaiko Pasta and Karaage Don, both priced at RM18.

Mark believes that Japanese food tends to be on the pricier side, and so in curating the menu, they made sure that they could serve homey Japanese meals at more affordable price points.

Bringing people together

“It is funny how since we started the business, my mum and I have been seeing family and friends that we have not seen for ages.”

“Rightfully, we are busier, hence we [thought we would not] meet family and friends [as much], but this business opportunity has allowed us to connect with others and meet old and new friends,” Mark stated, adding that the cafe once brought together his mother and a years-old friend.

In fact, friends and family had an important part in Yorimichi Cafe since the beginning, with many offering feedback in exchange for free food during the R&D phase of the business.

“This is our first cafe, so we are unsure about almost everything. From which Point Of Sale system to use, to which coffee machine to buy, the biggest challenge was the uncertainty that lay ahead,” said Mark.

“We are truly thankful for the many supportive people we’ve met along the way who gave us good tips and guidance on how to run an F&B business,” said Mark. 

One tip he learnt was that if credit terms cannot be obtained from suppliers, paying with a credit card could ensure better cashflow. 

“Another good one is, do not start with an overly extensive menu. Start lean and slowly expand, as an extensive menu means an extensive list of raw ingredients, which could cause unmanageable wastage, and inventory management can be a disaster,” Mark mentioned.

Looking ahead

“Average revenue per month in absolute numbers isn’t impressive at the time being as we’ve just started operating on December 7, 2024. However, we’ve grown about 68% in gross sales, about three months into the business,” said Mark.

As such, expansion plans are already underway, with an outdoor seating area being accommodated to address the limited seating capacity.

“The long-term plan is to start franchising Yorimichi Cafe, and serve affordable Japanese homey meals to as many as possible.”

“One way to do this is to work with a central kitchen to distribute the sauces. Malaysia has 14 states, maybe having two to three branches in each state would be a good target to start with,” said the founder.

As the business grows, Mark states that Yorimichi will continue to serve as a space where customers can rest and enjoy Japanese flavors, and evidently, with his family and culture at the forefront.

Featured image credit: Yorimichi Cafe