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May is Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, so there’s truly no better time to fill your pantry with some amazing new foods and ingredients from these AAPI-owned brands ahead. It’s one of the most fun (and delicious) ways to support chefs and makers in the AAPI community, but it’s also important to recognize everything that the AAPI community has been dealing with.
According to nonprofit coalition Stop AAPI Hate, more than 11,000 hate incidents against members of the AAPI community were reported across the country between March 2020 and December of 2021. In the wake of increased anti-Asian hate crimes, supporting the AAPI community is more important than ever. While many are taking to the streets protesting anti-Asian hate, others are donating to worthy organizations, like the Asian Pacific Fund COVID-19 Recovery Fund, Stop AAPI Hate, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, as well as supporting AAPI-owned businesses.
Spending your money on AAPI-owned brands goes directly back to members of these vibrant communities that help make our country such a special place. We all benefit from uplifting AAPI voices and supporting AAPI-owned small business, so if you’re looking for a way to give back during AAPI heritage month, stock up your pantry and fridge with some of these deliciously intriguing products. Whether you’re looking for a new hard seltzer flavor to serve at your next party, or need help trying to make the perfect cup of coffee at home, these AAPI food brands have something tasty waiting for you.
Lunar Hard Seltzer
Courtesy of Lunar.
The hard seltzer market doesn’t show signs of slowing down, but if you’re looking for fresher flavors that are actually delicious, then check out Lunar Hard Seltzer. According to the brand, it’s the first-ever Asian craft hard seltzer, and the it features fresh fruit and ingredients from Asia. Try their Lunar Variety Pack, which includes four cans of each flavor they offer: Yuzu, Lychee, Korean Plum, and Passion Fruit. In the future, look for these exciting flavors inspired by chef collaborations beginning on May 15th: Mint Omija and Salted Kumquat.
Lunar Variety 16 Pack
$47.99
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Rooted Fare
Courtesy of Rooted Fare.
What’s better than peanut butter? Black Sesame Crunchy Butter, of course, from Chinese-American woman-owned brand Rooted Fare. This spread is made with black sesame seeds and peanuts, is lightly sweetened with brown sugar, and has an irresistibly crunchy-smooth texture. It’s inspired by the filling of the Chinese dessert tang yuan, but you’ll want to put it on pretty much everything.
Rooted Fare Black Sesame Crunchy Butter
$15.00
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gimMe Snacks
Courtesy of gimMe.
It’s nutritious, delicious, and eco-friendly: organic roasted seaweed is the ultimate crispy, savory snack. Brand gimMe, co-founded by Korean-American entrepreneur Annie Chun, offers up organic seaweed snacks in a variety of flavors (gim means seaweed in Korean). You can find the brand at Whole Foods, or buy a gimMe variety pack
, including sea salt, toasted sesame, teriyaki, and hot wasabi flavors, online. Our mouths are already watering.
gimMe Organic Seaweed Snack Variety Pack
$14.99
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Copper Cow Coffee
Courtesy of Copper Cow Coffee.
Vietnamese coffee is always a treat, but thanks to Copper Cow Coffee, founded by Vietnamese American coffee lover Debbie Wei Mullin, allows you to enjoy it at home. You can buy their convenient pour over latte bundles to make flavored coffee drinks at home – they come with coffee-filled disposable pour over filters, and single-serve sweetened condensed milk creamers. We can’t stop drooling over this Churro Latte 5-pack.
Churro Latte 5-pack
$17.00
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Umamicart
Courtesy of Mother In Law’s Kimchi.
Have you ever struggled with finding your favorite Asian grocery store items available for delivery? Well, thanks to Umamicart, founded by Andrea Xu, you can get your favorite traditional staples and exciting items from trendy Asian American food brands like Mother In Law’s Kimchi
delivered to your door. They specialize in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, and carry everything from produce and meats to pantry goods and desserts. You can even buy ingredient bundles that will fill your cabinets and fridge with everything you need for tastier meals. Currently, they operate in the Northeast USA, but they plan to expand soon.
16-Item Southeast Asian Pantry Essentials
$41
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Omsom
Courtesy of Omsom.
Omsom’s founders are sisters, Vanessa and Kim Pham. They’re daughters of Vietnamese refugees, and they’re on a mission to bring “proud, loud Asian flavors to your fingertips any day of the week.”
Our favorite product of theirs? The Omsom Bundle, which is loaded with a variety of starters that combine all the sauces, aromatics and seasonings you need to cook certain Asian dishes.
The Omsom Bundle
$55
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Nguyen Coffee Supply
Courtesy of Nguyen Coffee Supply.
Nguyen Coffee Supply is the first ever Vietnamese American-owned importer and roaster of green coffee beans from Vietnam in New York. And one of their popular products is the Original Vietnamese Coffee Trio, which treats customers to their Moxy, Truegrit, and Loyalty blends.
Original Vietnamese Coffee Trio
$48
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Us Two
Courtesy of Us Two.
Founded by 29-year-old Ranmu Xue, Us Two Tea is an e-commerce tea brand which aims to make Taiwanese tea more accessible for consumers in U.S. Try the Loose Leaf Tea Set: it contains two typs of tea, Osmanthus Oolong loose leaf tea and Jasmine loose leaf tea, both great introductions to this style.
The Blossom Tea Set
$50
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immi
Courtesy of immi.
Described as “surprisingly healthy instant ramen,” immi was founded by Kevin Lee and Kevin Chanthasiriphan, both of whom worked alongside their families in the markets of Taiwan and Thailand. “We started immi to help our families better manage their health conditions arising from poor nutrition and unhealthy diets,” they write on their website.
Variety Pack
$39
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Fly By Jing
Courtesy of Fly By Jing.
Founded by Jing Gao in 2018 and inspired by the flavors of her hometown, Chengdu, Fly By Jing boasts a line of Sichuan-inspired sauces: Sichuan Chili Crisp, Zhong Dumpling Sauce, and Mala Spice Mix. She basically started a whole renaissance of artisanal chili crisp, one of the best condiments on the planet.
Triple Threat
$42
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Lomli
Courtesy of Lomli.
If you ever wanted to mix the convenience of tea bags with the energy and flavor of coffee, look no further. Lomli offers coffee in convenient tea bags, making them perfect for on-the-go. Lomli is a woman-owned business founded by Donna Kim and the company offers a wide variety of products in addition to their delicious coffee. You can find unique ice molds and even super chic greeting cards at Lomli.
Coffee 10-Pack Bundle
$22
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A version of this article was originally published in March of 2021.
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