Why UMIKAH’s Globally Inspired Curds Are Redefining What Latina-Led Brands Can Be
Some stories begin in boardrooms. Others begin in kitchens where a mother cooks with love, where citrus cuts through the air, and where a Latina realizes that food can hold entire worlds. UMIKAH exists because Luciana Uchi Davidzon believed those worlds could live inside a single jar.
Her Lime Yuzu Curd was recently named a 2026 sofi™ Awards Finalist. According to the Specialty Food Association’s press release, her curd “stood out among more than 1,200 entries,” judged on “flavor, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation.” The recognition places UMIKAH among the industry’s most celebrated small-batch makers.
However, for Luciana, the journey started much earlier… with a memory.
The personal spark that shaped UMIKAH
Luciana grew up in Argentina in a home where food meant connection. “My mother cooked with so much passion, and the kitchen was where we connected as a family,” she tells FIERCE. That warmth stayed with her when she later trained in French pastry in New York.
She says she fell in love with the craft because she is “naturally very meticulous and a perfectionist,” and French pastry “felt like the perfect match.”
Japanese citrus entered her life through curiosity. Travel widened her palate, and Yuzu shifted everything. “Yuzu in particular felt like magic,” she explains. “Bright, aromatic, and unlike anything I had tasted growing up.”
That combination of nostalgia and discovery helped her imagine a brand rooted in Latin warmth, shaped by French technique, and inspired by global flavor.
Why UMIKAH was never a side hustle
Many Latina-owned food brands begin out of necessity. Luciana says her path looked different. From day one, UMIKAH was a craft business. “I knew they had the potential to stand on a specialty shelf next to the best brands,” she says.
Her work came from purpose rather than survival. “I wanted to create something exquisite, something that represented Latina creativity in a space where we are still underrepresented.”
This intentionality has become part of UMIKAH’s DNA. Every jar reflects a belief that Latina founders can lead in categories often dominated by legacy brands.
The kids behind UMIKAH’s most honest feedback
Luciana calls her children her “tasters-in-chief,” and she means it. She explains that they grew up traveling and tasting everything she cooks, so their feedback stays precise.
“They’re brutally honest in the best way,” she says. Their notes guide her final versions: “too sweet,” “more acidity,” “this one is special.”
Their approval means everything. “When both of them say, ‘this tastes like you,’ that’s when I know a flavor is ready for release.” Their reactions keep her grounded and remind her why she creates.
The moment UMIKAH almost broke her
Awards give shine, but the journey includes exhaustion, doubt, and quiet moments that founders rarely share publicly. Luciana had one of those.
She recalls producing everything alone: motherhood, long production days, delivering orders, and building accounts. On the hardest days, she questioned whether she could keep going.
What stopped her from quitting wasn’t the business. It was her kids. “I wanted to show them resilience,” she says. She also wanted them to see that “a Latina founder can take up space in this industry.”
Her mother becomes part of the story, too. “My mom worked really hard all her life, and for me she is a great role model, one I hope to pass on to my kids as well.”
UMIKAH and the cultural gap she set out to fill
The U.S. specialty industry is crowded, but Luciana saw a blind spot. Curds in the U.S. are usually traditional. Lemon-centered. Seasonal. Nostalgic. She felt there was room for something bolder.
According to her, citrus in Latin America and many parts of the world is “vibrant, expressive, and tied to emotion.” She built UMIKAH to bring that brightness into a premium category that rarely thinks globally.
Yet she also confronts a misunderstanding, she says, that persists among buyers. “Many buyers still think ‘Latina-led’ means ‘spicy,’ ‘savory,’ or ‘comfort food.’” She explains that few expect a Latina founder to merge French pastry technique with Japanese Yuzu.
“That misunderstanding actually fueled me,” she says. “It proved that UMIKAH could open a new lane and show how sophisticated and innovative Latina-led products can be.”
UMIKAH’s sofi nod marks a turning point
The sofi Awards are considered the top honor in the $219-billion specialty food industry, according to the Specialty Food Association. Past winners include Ben & Jerry’s, Kettle Chips, Fage Yogurt, Stonewall Kitchen, and Vermont Creamery.
Luciana’s Lime Yuzu Curd now stands beside those legacy names. The SFA president, Bill Lynch, said finalists “rose above their peers to receive top scores from our expert judging panel.”
Luciana sees the recognition as encouragement. “It celebrates the creativity, persistence, and love behind every jar we make,” she says. “This recognition renews our enthusiasm to keep spreading joy through our craft.”
