About us

The Real Story Behind Real Wasabi

Real Wasabi is far more than just a business. It has morphed and grown into a full-blown passion nearly three decades in the making, and continues to evolve into an insatiable quest to celebrate and share authenticity in a world full of imitations. 

It has also encouraged us to practice what we preach and to never settle for less when it comes to our culinary pursuits and healthy living. We are cultivating, producing and sourcing some of the world's finest goods and ingredients, which we can now deliver right to your doorstep. In one-word, Real Wasabi represents life based on “homeostasis” of finding and maintaining balance in ourselves and with the environment in which we live. We love sharing with you our desire for serenity, calm, vitality and overall well-being. With a business founded around one single plant; authentic Wasabia japonica, we have dedicated over twenty five years to exploring the depths and breadth of it's authenticity.  We welcome you to join us embracing this philosophic journey.

So How Did This All Begin?

A love for Japanese culture, aesthetics and cuisine was the precursor to a lifetime dedicated to authentic wasabi. It started in NYC in the early 70’s, where I lived with Swami Rudrananda in the village, studying Tibetan Buddhism and Meditation, with a weekly Sunday ritual on our day off when my buddies and I would head out for sushi and then to Chinatown to watch samurai movies. It was during that period, at sushi counters staffed by accomplished Itame, that I learned the difference between authentic wasabi and the faux stuff that’s served in most establishments. To say there’s a profound difference is an understatement. Frankly, I was hooked at first bite.  My day job was editing code in the days of punch cards, dot matrix printouts and reel-to-reel computers the size of refrigerators, at FAO Schwartz. After living in Manhattan, in 1973 I returned to the midwest, where sushi bars were few and far between, but my fondness for all things Japanese, including real wasabi, never waned. I launched a startup called Woodworks in Bloomington, IN with a partner, making solid hardwood furniture and ran that for fifteen years. As an early adopter of computers I bought one of the first batch of IBM PC's when they launched in 1981. Back in those days sharing information was often done in chatrooms like AOL...I didn't want to be doug123@aol.com, so I instead chose wasabi@aol.com  I could never have foreseen in my wildest dreams where that would eventually lead.

In 1986 my family and I moved to Hilton Head, SC were I began a thirty year career in wealth management, first as stockbroker, later becoming a Certified Investment Management Consultant.  Coincidentally, also in 1986, Larry Page and crew introduced Google.  As a big fan of both the stock and its incredible information engine, I was intriqued. One day, while casually searching, I typed in "wasabi" and discovered scant information, but some of it referenced putative health benefits. With that, I was more than intriqued.  But with a new challenging career, it was not (yet) the time to be chasing wasabi dreams. 

Over the years I continued to muse about business possibilities for real wasabi and got more serious about it when we purchased property in NC mountains in 2001 I registered url's in 2002, including realwasabi.com and ginsabi.com. and also located a source for wasabi plantlets and began experimenting with growing on our mountain farm.  I met and became friends with Brooks Quinn at a mutually favorite sushi bar in Hilton Head over spirited lunches discussing land planning, creek projects and wasabi. One day he gave me the proverbial eagle eye and said " I'll do that with you" and shortly thereafter joined me as founding partner in 2005 to launch Real Wasabi, LLC,  Those were exhilarating times as we dove headlong into the process of launching our start-up, a continually exciting journey. We traveled to Japan and China to study growing wasabi methods and establish reliable supply chains. Then came the arduous process of creating consumer products. Our flagship offerings, Real Wasabi Powders, were well received and we followed with eight Certified Organic real wasabi dressings, sauces and marinades, and then world class real wasabi flavored nuts. Truly some great stuff. More travel and numerous trade shows dominated our calendar as we developed valued industry contacts and relationships with distributors and grocery chains.  Placements with Whole Foods, Krogers, Sprouts, Fresh Markets, Wegmans and Costco confirmed solid demand for our products, but gathering economic storm clouds began to temper our enthusiasm for conventional distribution. When 2008 hit, with a flurry of distributor and retailer closures and bankruptcies, I shared with Brooks that we were “tearing up thousand dollar bills to collect hundreds”, and that I longed to be on the farm to get closer to the wasabi plants and nature. We decided to exit the conventional distribution approach and began the pivot to D2C, committed to build stronger relationships directly with our growing network of beloved food industry contacts, friends and passionate customers.

Evolution of an Iconic Global Brand

What began as a budding consumer products company in 2005 has evolved over the past two decades into a globally recognized wasabi supplier trusted by large and small companies, celebrated chefs and passionate foodies in all corners of the world. Our initial focus on establishing solid supply relationships served to be prescient, as that key decison led us to evolve into a respected supplier of authentic wasabi powders to food and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide. Real Wasabi has since quietly grown to become the most vertically integrated small, specialized purveyor of authentic wasabi products in the world. Our offerings run the gamut from tissue-culture wasabi lab-babies, mountain-hardened wasabi starts, to fresh wasabi produce and pure wasabi powders, and to also include emerging sub-brands:  NutraSabi - Wabi Sabi Gifts - Cool Wares  

 

Wasabi Cultivation and Journey

For over 24 years we’ve pursued growing Wasabia japonica on our farm in the NC mountains. This is a very temperamental plant to grow, and it is often touted as the most difficult to raise to maturity of all commercial produce. Wasabi can take up to three years to reach harvest maturity. The environment in which it thrives is very specific which is why it fairs well in areas in the Blue Ridge Mountains that are similar to the pristine mountains of Japan. Our NC mountain farm is the oldest continuously operating wasabi operation and one of only a handful in North America.  Farming wasabi is challenging at best and has candidly been a daunting struggle at times, but long term the tedious task of growing wasabi has been worth it for us, though our success is measured more in growth than profits

Besides being a farmer, I’m a foodie, craftsman, traveler and dedicated to health and wellness. Just like our plants, I thrive when all aspects of my life are in balance. It is this realization that has helped me grow to this point where I am able to share with you products, insights, people and places that have enriched our lives.  But please understand, this is not a one-sided relationship. Wasabi affectionados are a vibrant community of people with shared beliefs who enjoy dialoguing with one another, sharing their knowledge, supporting mutual health & wellness goals and continuing to grow and evolve together.  So, we welcome you, our friends, as we travel down this real wasabi road together. As often said, every journey begins with a single step.  It also pays to keep in mind the importance of enjoying the process, as while the destination is clearly important, its the journey we create and embrace that truly counts. 

  Doug Lambrecht