- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
Every summer, thousands of food buyers, retailers, chefs, distributors, and entrepreneurs descend on New York City for the Summer Fancy Food Show—the largest specialty food trade show in North America.
This year's show was especially exciting for The Serica Initiative as we watched many Asian and Asian American founders showcase products that are expanding how consumers think about Asian flavors.
From premium Sichuan pepper products and Mauritian-inspired samosas to Chinese potato balls, Filipino popcorn, Korean banana milk, and modern soup concepts, the exhibition floor reflected an increasingly diverse generation of founders building food businesses rooted in heritage while designed for today's consumer.
Congratulations to 50Hertz Tingly Foods
One of the highlights of the show was seeing our frequent event sponsor and friend, 50Hertz Tingly Foods, welcome hundreds of visitors to its booth throughout the three-day event. Our Event Director, Michelle, even got a chance
Known for introducing consumers to the unmistakable citrusy, aromatic "tingly" sensation of authentic Sichuan peppercorns, the team showcased an expanding collection that included:
Premium dried Sichuan pepper
Sichuan pepper oils
Seasonings
Tingly peanuts & cashews
Specialty snacks
Visitors packed the booth to sample products and learn how Sichuan pepper differs from traditional spicy peppers—creating a numbing, floral, citrus-forward sensation that is becoming increasingly popular with adventurous home cooks and chefs alike.
From 80 Startups to One Champion
Perhaps the biggest moment of the week came during the Fancy Face-Off, the Summer Fancy Food Show's startup competition.
Nearly 80 emerging food companies entered the competition before being narrowed down to four finalists.
50Hertz founder Yao Zhao earned a place in that final round for his new Tingly Cashews, a sweet and new sensation paired with larger than average cashews, presenting his story and product live before a panel of industry judges. After tasting and evaluating each finalist's concept, innovation, branding, and market potential...
50Hertz Tingly Foods was named the Grand Prize Winner, taking home the $10,000 top prize.
Watching Yao accept the award was not only exciting for just 50Hertz, but for the growing community of Asian founders building nationally recognized consumer brands.
We were proud to cheer him on throughout the competition.
A Growing Community of Asian Food Entrepreneurs
Walking the show floor also introduced us to a number of exciting founders bringing new flavors and traditions to American consumers.
Among them were:
Petite Île
Mauritian-inspired frozen samosas blending Indian, African, Chinese, and French culinary influences into approachable frozen appetizers. Petite Île was founded in honor of founder Krishna's mother’s cooking and the island he grew up on, Mauritius. After 30 years in international banking, he started this business to share something personal, joyful, and deeply flavorful. They pride themselves on paying their team fairly, partnering with small farms and fisheries, and building community with every order.
Shop: https://petite-ile.com/
Chenzi
Chinese potato balls inspired by street food from Northern China, bringing an authentic regional snack to American audiences. Julia was especially excited to try them after seeing them all over her feed recently and was not disappointed!
Malapop
A Filipino-inspired popcorn company offering bold Southeast Asian flavor profiles in snack form. Three friends, one big idea, and a shared love for snacks, that’s how it all started. What began as a simple obsession turned into something more: a mission to elevate a classic treat into something bold, fun, and unforgettable.
This team couldn't wait to get their hands (and mouths!) on more after one bite!
Heartland NY
A group of taiwanese woman came together to start and organically sourced healthy Asian foods grocery store with select goods. They have two boutique stores in Flushing that are doing so well that recently, they started their own line of flavored popcorn! They use globally inspired flavors using premium ingredients and creative seasonings. We can proudly say the oolong tea popcorn was quite unique and delicious!
SUP
This freeze-dried Asian soup concept was designed by a Vietnamese-Australian team to make authentic regional soups accessible in just minutes. They aim to bring authentic vegetables and flavors from Vietnam to your home through safe Japanese freeze-drying technology to create Asian soup cubes made from real ingredients. Our vegetables are harvested at the right time from our family greenhouse, and we work closely with our manufacturing and R&D teams (yes - it involved a lot of taste testing 🤭) to make sure every bowl delivers on flavor, quality, and authenticity.
Shop: https://www.supfoods.co
TOFU GO
Redefining protein bars and how we eat it- founder Caroline Dai is on a mission to get tofu into the mouths of consumers with her delectable high-protein snacks. In flavors Soy BBQ and Spicy Chili, they are sure to delight and fill you up on the go!
Honorable Mention:
The best ice cream- the one the only king found in grocery stores everywhere - MELONA
Shop: https://enjoymelona.com/
Food has always been one of the most accessible ways to experience culture.
For many Asian founders, however, success isn't simply about selling a product.
It's about introducing unfamiliar ingredients, preserving culinary traditions, and helping mainstream audiences appreciate the incredible diversity that exists across Asia's many regional cuisines.
Events like the Summer Fancy Food Show provide an important platform for those stories. As these brands continue to grow, they're not only creating successful businesses—they're broadening America's understanding of Asian food beyond the familiar.
Congratulations again to Yao Zhao and the entire 50Hertz team on an extraordinary week.
We look forward to seeing what comes next for these fancy Asian food brands - let us know someone we missed?
