Our 30 Favorite Asian American/Pacific Islander-Owned Food Brands

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a month when Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders reflect and honor their heritage, ancestors, and traditions. One of the most important things highlighted throughout the month-long observance is food—and whether you're a part of the AAPI community or a supportive ally, it's always great to learn about the ever-growing market of AAPI-owned food brands.

When it comes to food from Asian countries, some Americans might only think of ramen noodles and soy sauce. But the truth is, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been part of the American culinary world for generations—and their contributions to modern American cuisine are rich in history. Aside from the Asian-American favorites that might first come to mind, this demographic has impacted the food industry across many categories like coffee, mayonnaise, and ice cream. To show support for these innovative products, we’ve rounded up 30 AAPI-owned food brands worth adding to your pantry.

Whether you’re looking for a new soy sauce to try or a marinade to change up chicken night, this list has something for everyone. From bigger names like Fly By Jing and Health-Ade to lesser-known brands like Bachan’s, these 30 food brands will stretch your dollar while making your food more delicious.

Zhong Sauce

Fly By Jing is inspired by the flavors of the hole-in-the-wall eateries of Chengdu, China, which is founder Jing Gao's hometown. The brand is known for its sauces and spices, as well as its selection of frozen dumplings. The Zhong Sauce is a best seller thanks to its sweet, tangy, spicy and umami-rich notes that taste great with anything. It's made with aromatic soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, garlic and a blend of spices.

Organic Roasted Seaweed Sheets

Husband-and-wife duo Annie Chun and Steve Broad founded GimMe Organics in 2012 as a way to provide the world's first USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO Project Verified seaweed snacks. This 20-pack comes in multiple flavors, like teriyaki and wasabi, and is perfect for when you're on the go.

Vietnamese Pour Over Coffee Filters

Copper Cow Coffee founder Debbie Wei Mullin's mission is to share her culture with friends through food and coffee. This Vietnamese-style pour-over coffee allows you to become your own barista. Just tear, hang, pour, and enjoy. It comes with five latte creamers and five pour-over coffees in each pack.

Chili Oil with Crunchy Garlic

S&B is a well-known packaged food brand brand that has been making spices, condiments, and other ingredients since 1923. Their chili oil features crunchy garlic and is a must-have in your pantry. It's perfect topping for a variety of dishes. The mild option is not too spicy and has a savory umami flavor that pairs well with chicken, sushi, salad, noodles, and tofu.

Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil

Born and raised in Monterey Park, CA, Taiwanese American Andrew Lee is a retired golfer who played for 29 years. Upon leaving the sport, Lee created Zindrew and became a full-time chili oil maker. This one features crunchy garlic oil and has a mild heat.

Yuzu Miso Glaze

Sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham are the co-founders of Omsom. They started the company as a way to honor their traditions and their mother, who taught them how to make Vietnamese food. The Yuzu Miso Glaze goes perfectly with chicken, salmon, and eggplant and works well as a veggie simmer sauce.

Taco Seasoning 3-Pack

Spicewalla founder Meherwan Irani has won five James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef, so you know his stuff is good. He created the brand as a love letter to his Indian heritage and the family recipes that were passed down to him, focusing specifically on perfecting spice blends the way he learned as a kid. This taco seasoning three-pack, featuring Carne Asada, Al Pastor, and Pescado Verde, is packed with flavors that will jazz up your next taco night. Spicewalla's spices are gluten-free and non-GMO.

Truegrit Peaberry Robusta Ground Coffee

Nguyen Coffee Supply was the first Vietnamese-American-owned importer and roaster of green coffee beans from Vietnam in New York. Founded by Sahra Nguyen in 2018, Nguyen Coffee Supply set out to create diversity, sustainability, and integrity in the coffee industry. This Peaberry Robusta ground coffee has a bold and nutty flavor and a creamy finish. It works with every brewing method, whether traditional pour-over or in a coffee maker.

Spicy Beef Ramen

Kevin Lee and Kevin Chanthasiriphan launched immi because they share a lifelong love of ramen. The two started the brand as a way to help their families and others manage health conditions that occur due to unhealthy diets and poor habits. The spicy "beef" ramen is just that, spicy and hearty, and features notes of Sichuan peppercorns, anise and fennel. All of immi's ramens are 100 percent plant-based.

Lychee Sparkling Water

Sandro Roco, a Queens, New York-born Filipino American, started Sanzo after noticing a need for a less sugary and preservative-free option in New York's Asian grocery stores. Sanzo, the first Asian-inspired sparkling water, uses high-quality Asian soft drink flavors without any added sugar. They come in a 12-pack and multiple flavors, like lychee, calamansi, and yuzu with ginger.

Filipino Adobo

Jake Deleon, a first-generation Filipino American, launched Fila Manila in 2020. The brand is inspired by Deleon's favorite dishes of his childhood, like Adobo. Fila Manila's award-winning mild adobo has flavors of tamari, coconut vinegar, garlic, and mild Filipino spices that pair especially well with chicken and pork.

Sweet Osmanthus Organic Instant Oatmeal

Yíshì is the brainchild of Lin Jiang. The brand came to be because of Jiang's love for her mother's black sesame porridge she ate throughout her childhood in China. Yíshì is dedicated to her mother's approach to food and her heritage. This oatmeal only uses natural plant-based ingredients and is a good source of fiber and protein.

Indian Chili Sauce Bundle

Launched in 2014, Brooklyn Delhi provides condiments and sauces inspired by Indian traditions using plant-based ingredients. Chitra Agrawal developed recipes for the brand in 2009. The Roasted Garlic Achaar and Tomato Achaar sauces both provide savory and spicy flavor.

Kombucha Tea

You might recognize the colorful Health-Ade kombucha bottles from the grab-and-g0 refrigerator at your local grocery store. The brand is known for offering fruit-flavored kombucha, which is fermented tea that has living probiotics. Health-Ade is the creation of Diana Trout, her husband Justin Trout, and their friend Vanessa Dew.

Kimchi Chili Pepper Flakes

Mother-in-Law's Kimchi's first product debuted in 2009. The mission of Mother-in-Law's is to handcraft the best small-batch kimchi using only natural ingredients. This Gochugaru flavor, or Korean chile flakes, will add a mild to medium spice punch to your dish.

The Ultimate Chai Lover's Gift Set

Monica Sunny has a passion for chai. Her brand, The Chai Box, was her invention to help her spread chai time, a family tradition of drinking tea with her three boys. The Ultimate Chai Lover's Gift Set comes with four chai varieties: Hill Station, a fragrant blend featuring cardamom and rose; All Chai'd Up, an ode to traditional masala chai; Sweet Monsoon, a calming loose leaf tea blend with mango, coconut and cinnamon; and Lavender Nights, a caffeine-free lavender chai for nighttime. Plus, this set was named one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2021.

The Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce

Bachan means "granny" in Japanese, and Justin Gill used the word to name his business after the woman who inspired him so much. Gill started Bachan's as a way to put his family's signature barbecue sauce on the market. The brand describes the sauce as having a "teriyaki-ish" taste that pairs well with meat, veggies, rice, and just about everything else. It can be used as both a marinade and a condiment.

Tamari Soy Sauce

The Sato family began making soy sauce and miso as the San-Jirushi company in 1804. Eight generations have continued the tradition of brewing high-quality soy sauce. Tamari soy sauce is made out of the finest soybeans and doesn't feature any wheat (a typical ingredient in some other soy sauces on the market).

Beef-Flavored Pho Soup Base

Quoc Viet Foods started small in 2002; now the brand makes 17 different soup bases. The beef-flavored pho soup base will make easy work of cooking authentic Vietnamese pho at home.

Japanese Mayonnaise

Kewpie was created by Toichiro Nakashima in 1919, and the brand has consistently produced mayonnaise made from only three ingredients: oil, egg yolk, and vinegar. Using the just egg yolks instead of the whole egg gives Kewpie mayonnaise a distinctively rich flavor.

Spicy Chicken Roasted Noodles

Korea's first packaged ramen, Samyang Foods debuted in 1963 and has gone on to produce popular ramen packs that are beloved all over the world. Spicy chicken ramen is the brand's best-selling variation and has become a fan favorite thanks to viral trends like the spicy noodle challenge. They're easy to cook and flavorful for an effortless meal.

Superior Ceremonial Blend

Singchuen Chiam is the founder of Naoki Matcha. He started the brand as a way to provide a versatile household matcha that can be used in multiple ways. The Superior Ceremonial blend is smooth and creamy and gives an energy boost without coffee. Naoki Matcha from Uji provides instructions on how to use the matcha for a seamless experience.

Masala Trio

Diaspora Co. founder Sana Javeri Kadri was born and raised in postcolonial Mumbai. After months of arduous work and research, she launched her first spice, Pragati Turmeric. This pack comes with Chai Masala, Haldi Doodh Masala, and Tandoori Masala that balance the traditions of Indian cooking with modern tastes.

Celebration Collection

The goal of Noona's Ice Cream is to carve a path for Asian-American ice cream and dairy-free frozen treats in the U.S. The brand has classic flavors like Black Sesame, Taro, Matcha Green Tea, and Yuzu, and more novel ones like Turmeric Honeycomb, Dalgona Coffee, Vegan Rose Ginger, and Persimmon Jubilee. The Celebration Collection consists of Taro ice cream, Tumeric Honeycomb ice cream, Yuzu Blossom ice cream, mochi bits, and Dalgona honeycomb pieces for a unique at-home experience.

Buttermilk Breakfast Sandwich

For those moments when you're dashing out of the house and need a quick breakfast, Mason Dixie Foods has you covered. Ayeshah Abuelhiga established the brand in 2014 as a way to sell the delicious comfort food that her parents made in their small carry-out restaurant. The buttermilk breakfast sandwich features the brand's signature seven-ingredient buttermilk biscuit with egg and sausage.

Japanese Postbiotic Drink

“Koso” means enzyme or ferment in Japanese, and the Koso drink is a century-old drink created from vegetables, fruits, and plants. It's said to help with gut health and also boost immunity due to the fermentation and its probiotics and prebiotics. It's dairy-free, vegan, Japan-made, gluten-free, and non-GMO. Founded by Ryu Okada, R's Koso was Okada's solution to getting his body back on track after his move from Tokyo to New York in 2018.

Lemongrass + Ginger

Co-founders Esha Chhabra and Smita Satiani started Alaya Tea in the Himalayas as a way to honor India's Northeast regions and highlight the environmental changes people in the region face. The brand creates a host of teas like lemongrass + ginger, Assam black + ginger, fresh mint, and hibiscus flowers that brew beautifully and provide a warm, calming cup.

Minute Cocktail Sugar Cube Trio

Created by Arizona-based beverage entrepreneur Allison DeVane, Teaspressa's instant cocktail cubes make mixing your favorite drinks a little easier. Just drop one in a shot of your preferred liquor and stir until the cube dissolves, and you'll have a delicious Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, or Moscow Mule at the ready.

Junmai Ginjo

Sake is a traditional Japanese drink—and Tippsy Sake is an online treasure trove where you can browse hundreds of sake varieties and have them delivered to your home. This one is a silky and smooth concoction with notes of melon, grape, and sweet rice. Hakutsuru Brewing Company was founded in 1743 in Nadagogo and has become one of the top-selling sake breweries in Japan.

Premium Oyster Flavored Sauce

Established back in 1888 by Mr. Lee Kum Sheung, Lee Kum Kee produces oyster sauce in Nanshui, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. Over the decades, Lee Kum Kee developed into a household name synonymous with the sauce. It consists of oyster extract and all-purpose seasonings for a versatile condiment.

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