Tokyo · coconuts from the Philippines
Never give up deliciousness or kindness.
“Would I feed this to my own child?”A better choice for a kinder tomorrow began with one mother’s question.
Midori Ogino
Founder, BROWN SUGAR 1ST.2011
a farmers’ market in Tokyo$1500
and a baby on her back3000+
stores in Japan todayWhat started as food for her family has grown into a brand that connects delicious food with a kinder world —from our tables to farming communities in the Philippines.
From a mother’s question to a bigger responsibility
The question grew
01Her own childIt began with food she would feed her own child.
02To the PhilippinesShe traveled to coconut-producing communities to find answers.
03The peopleShe met those who grow, harvest and process coconuts, their families and communities — and witnessed the reality of poverty in producing regions.
04A wider questionFrom her own child to the ingredients, the producers and the communities behind the food we eat.
Poverty is not separate from the product
“Separate charity”
BROWN SUGAR 1ST. has engaged with poverty and social issues in producing communities in the Philippines — not as charity on the side.
Part of the brand’s responsibility
- Consumer
- Product
- Ingredient
- Producer
- Community
They are all connected. Making better food also means thinking about the lives and communities behind it. That is one meaning of kindness.
Kindness alone is not enough
First, it has to taste good. Never give up deliciousness. Never give up kindness.
You should not have to eat something just because it seems healthier, and choosing plant-based food should not mean accepting less pleasure. Then, when you know what it’s made from, who makes it and where it comes from, there are even more reasons to choose it.
Simple by design
A better choice, in numbers
96%
coconut-derived — Better Than Butter~4
years to develop it3
ingredients in the Coconut Crisps
Better Than Butter
Rich, buttery taste and satisfaction without an overpowering coconut flavor.
Plant-based, and perfect for toast, cooking and baking. The only butter or spread among the 2025 VEGPRENEUR Awards winners.
Organic Coconut Crisps
A simple recipe
- Coconut
- Coconut nectar
- Salt
- Natural sweetness
- Toasted character
- Texture
Enjoy them on their own, or as a topping for yogurt, ice cream or granola.
Why cacao grown under coconut trees?
The Organic Brownie Crisps are made with cacao and coconut. The cacao grows beneath the coconut trees — an example of how the land and its ingredients grow together. A snack with great taste and a deeper story.
Three products we chose for Davelle Ya
Great taste, a deeper story
Better Than Butter96% coconut-derived · plant-basedDeveloped over about four years for rich, buttery taste. For toast, cooking and baking.
Organic Coconut CrispsCoconut · coconut nectar · saltNatural sweetness, toasted character and the texture of coconut.
Organic Brownie CrispsCacao · coconutMade with cacao and coconut — the cacao grown beneath the coconut trees.
Experience it at Davelle
Take it home · Davelle Ya
- Better Than Butter · salted
- Better Than Butter · unsalted
- Organic Coconut Crisps
- Organic Brownie Crisps
Why Davelle Ya chose BROWN SUGAR 1ST.Not simply because it is organic or plant-based. The brand encourages us to look beyond the product itself — to deliciousness, the person eating it, the ingredients, the producers, the communities, and the impact of our choices.Delicious. Thoughtful about the person choosing it. Thoughtful about the people who make it.
A question that began with one mother and her child expanded to a wider world — yet the idea stays simple: never give up deliciousness or kindness.
FounderIngredientsProducers
brownsugar1st.store@brownsugar1st
Next on the shelfNOÉ NO OMISE →Start with the landWhy Japanese food cares where things come from →Davelle YaBack to the shop →