Koji, the founder of ONIGILLY, moved to the US in 2006 and was surprised to find that despite the abundance of sushi restaurants, he couldn't find his favorite Japanese food, onigiri (rice balls). After visiting a local elementary school and seeing that many students' lunches were not providing them with the necessary nourishment, he was inspired to introduce onigiri as a delicious, healthy, and convenient alternative food option for adults and children in the US.

ONIGILLY's mission is to introduce onigiri into the American dietary repertoire and contribute to better eating habits nationwide. With the support of local NPOs, ONIGILLY has grown significantly since its founding in 2008, starting with a food cart and now having several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Koji's goal is to create a nationwide chain and make onigiri more accessible, allowing more people to discover this delicious, healthy, and convenient fast food that can be eaten anytime, anywhere, ultimately leading to improvements in their eating habits.