Mikawaya, a 105-year-old Little Tokyo confectionary company known for inventing mochi ice cream, has been acquired by private equity firm Century Park Capital Partners.
The El Segundo-based private equity firm plans to bring mochi ice cream to a wider audience, said managing partner Marty Sarafa. Mikawaya's mochi ice cream can already be found in grocery chains such as Trader Joe's, Safeway, Albertsons and Ralphs.
"In the frozen novelty ice cream category, there hasn't been too much innovation," he said. "That's the opportunity — to change that."
Founded in 1910, Mikawaya started off as a single store in Little Tokyo.