New Kenji: Mundi Riso Italian sushi rice brand

17/04/2025

When Italian excellence meets Japanese tradition, the result is a rice that’s perfect for sushi. The New Kenji brand embodies this fusion, combining the quality of Italian raw materials and processing techniques with the specific requirements of the finest Japanese – and broadly Asian – cuisine.

A high-end brand and the flagship of Mundi Riso production, New Kenji was born from a desire to explore new applications of Italian rice. It celebrates our land and its agricultural excellence while paying homage to the art of sushi with the utmost respect and the pursuit of the highest quality standards.

While sushi is deeply rooted in Japanese culinary tradition, it has been enthusiastically embraced in Italy, becoming a beloved part of modern food culture. New Kenji proves that, through in-depth research and cutting-edge processing techniques, Italian rice can reach the same level of excellence as its Japanese counterpart.

The origins of the New Kenji brand

The research and development behind New Kenji began in 2007. From the outset, Mundi Riso aimed at applying its expertise and deep knowledge of rice to identify the Italian varieties best suited for sushi, drawing inspiration from the finest Japanese rice types and their defining characteristics.

The contribution of a group of Japanese chefs was fundamental to this process. Their expertise helped refine the rice flavor, texture and cooking performance, clearly defining the specific qualities required for sushi rice. Multiple factors were considered, including amylose and amylopectin content, protein levels, gelatinization degree, flavor and cooking resistance.

Thanks to this meticulous research, a superior-quality product was launched in 2014. For the historic Vercelli-based rice mill, the birth of the New Kenji brand marked an important step toward new markets and helped initiate the company long-term B2C strategy.

The qualities of New Kenji Sushi Rice

New Kenji combines the finest elements of rice-growing tradition and innovation, Italian agricultural heritage and Japanese culinary history. It is especially known for:

Excellent texture, with just the right stickiness to blend perfectly with sushi ingredients.
Cooking stability, ensuring ideal results and preserving fragrance, stickiness and shine.
Delicate flavor, enhancing other ingredients without overpowering them.
Versatility, making it ideal for a range of uses, from sushi to ethnic and fusion cuisines – perfect for both fine dining and large-scale distribution.
Quality and safety, guaranteed by a 100% Italian supply chain, from selection to processing and packaging.
Gluten-free and non-GMO, to meet the needs of healthy, controlled diets.
Available in an organic version, certified by Bioagricert.

The New Kenji Sushi Rice varieties

To meet the needs of a diverse and demanding audience – from professional chefs to Japanese and ethnic cuisine enthusiasts – Mundi Riso has developed multiple New Kenji rice varieties, each with unique characteristics and applications:

New Kenji Premium Sushi Rice: the top-tier sushi rice, 100% Italian (Selenio variety), processed using the most advanced technology for maximum quality and refinement.
New Kenji Sushi Rice: a round grain rice sourced from Italy, Europe and beyond, with a maximum broken grain percentage of 3%.
New Kenji Medium Grain Sushi Rice: with a chewier texture, similar to American sushi rice, and a maximum broken grain percentage of 3%.
New Kenji Originario Sushi Rice: round grain rice of European and extra-European origin, with a maximum broken grain percentage of 5%.
New Kenji Basmati: sourced from India and Pakistan, ideal for ethnic dishes that call for long, fragrant grains

A success story looking toward the future

New Kenji rice has achieved widespread success both in Italy and across Europe, becoming a benchmark for sushi preparation. Mundi Riso continuous innovation has led to the exploration of new varieties and the expansion of its product line, all while maintaining exceptionally high quality standards.

Japanese culinary art has found fertile ground in Italy to evolve and flourish through new influences – and New Kenji is a perfect example. Thanks to the careful selection of raw materials and advanced processing methods, we can now enjoy sushi made with Italian rice that rivals the finest Japanese varieties.