Meet Sharon Ku | Founder of Uji Time Dessert

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sharon Ku and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sharon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Uji Time Dessert opened its first pop up store in April 2016 and is known for its Taiyaki soft serve. Sharon Ku, John Ip, and Benson Leung have been taking far east flavors and desserts and making them mainstream in the Bay Area. Our famous Fish Cone, called taiyaki, is a take on the traditional Japanese dessert in the shape of a fish, usually filled with red bean paste. The pop up was a great success because of its authenticity. Uji Time Dessert was the first dessert store selling taiyaki soft serve in the Bay Area.

Uji Time Dessert loves to combine and meld elements from multiple traditional desserts to create affordable treats for everyone. Our goal is simple – Think of Uji Time Dessert when you crave Japanese fusion style desserts. Uji Time Dessert regularly offers instagrammable, fun and delicious desserts and ice cream for all ages. Uji Time Dessert has transformed itself into a full scale dessert cafe, from Fish Cone (taiyaki), black sesame soft serve, lychee ice cream mochi, Matcha Latte, Earl Grey puddings, to Hojicha and Genmaicha ice cream. Depending on the season, Uji Time Dessert offers limited production seasonal flavors, such as strawberry rose and lavender in soft serve or ice cream.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In 2020, COVID hit hard across Bay Area San Francisco. Our sales dropped to 0% as we only sold soft serve ice cream. Our stores were forced to close for 3-12 months. We closed two stores permanently. Despite COVID-19 challenges, we expanded from 0 to 25 local supermarkets. Closing three stores didn’t stop us; we opened three new locations and have more coming in Palm Springs and New Mexico with our licensees partners. These difficulties brought our team closer and made us stronger. From a small ice cream shop, we now distribute to various locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. The growth and partnerships showcase our resilience and quality. I’m inspired and confident in our continued success.

I would suggest everyone not to give up. We should not focus on what might stop us from achieving the goals. We should think of what we can do to make a change. Don’t be afraid and try to reach out. Many experienced entrepreneurs would love to share their experience and thoughts with you.

We now focus on developing different unique flavors. We hope that we can expand to the whole California and even out of state. We are also looking for partnership for licensing opportunity expanding to different states.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In San Francisco, I love exploring the rich cultural experiences and stunning vistas the city has to offer. One of my favorite places to visit is Japantown, where I immerse myself in the vibrant Japanese culture, enjoying authentic cuisine, unique shops, and engaging events. Another cherished spot is the Land’s End Trail, where I embark on picturesque hikes along the rugged coastline, surrounded by breathtaking ocean views and lush greenery.

Strolling along the Embarcadero Pier and Ferry Building is always a delightful experience. The bustling atmosphere, bustling with activity, and the iconic Ferry Building provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy local delicacies, artisanal products, and captivating bay views.

For a more serene escape, weather permitting, I venture to Battery Spencer, a short and pleasant 10-minute walk from the parking area to the top of the hill. From this elevated vantage point, you can admire the panoramic views of both the San Francisco cityscape and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, creating a breathtaking scene that never fails to leave me in awe.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
During COVID, we connect with many local businesses to do cross promotion and share resources. We offer our stores as pick up locations for other business owners. Other business owners help to promote our brand and products.

Thanks to the SBA for sharing all useful grants and funds available during COVID with 1-on-1 consultation. I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made. Once again, I want to express my gratitude to SBA for providing a platform that facilitates learning, sharing, and gaining inspiration. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be part of this Bay Area community and to share my story of resilience, growth, and the joy of forging connections to support others in building their own brands.  

Website: ujitimedessert.com

Instagram: @ujitimedessert

Linkedin: @ujitimedessert

Facebook: @ujitime

Image Credits
Joe Joeng