'Omsom,' the is a Asian American-owned, women-led home cooking business, has officially made its Omsom retail debut through an exclusive collaboration with Whole Foods Market. The company has partnered with several restaurants and food manufacturers before in order to offer its food to the public but has yet to make a debut on retail shelves until now.
Customers will be able to pick up Omsom-branded meal starter kits across the United States. These kits incorporate flavors, aromatics, and ingredients common to Vietnamese cuisines and other Asian cuisines, with several notable ingredients such as Korean Gochujang barbecue sauce.
The CEO of OMsom, Vanessa Pham, stated: "Folks aren’t always ready for what we have to say as a WOC-led brand so, since the beginning, we knew that being as proud and loud as we are was a risky bet,” showing that the company has faced challenges stemming from its heritage. However, despite this, Pham noted that Omsom's success has been rewarding and pleasing.
Image Credit: Omsom
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Home Cooking Industry
- The rise of home cooking businesses present opportunities for meal kit subscription services and personalized recipe delivery services.
- Ethnic Flavor Industry
- The increasing diversity in the US creates an opportunity to tap into the ethnic flavors and ingredients market within grocery stores and dining establishments.
- Female-led Business Industry
- As more female-led businesses emerge, there is a market opportunity to champion these businesses and make their products more accessible in retail settings.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Meal Kit Subscription Industry
- Meal kit subscription services can leverage the interest in at-home cooking by partnering with minority-owned brands and offering their meal kits as a package for customers.
- Retail Grocery Industry
- Retail grocery stores can capitalize on the growing trend of customers opting for ethnic ingredients and spice blends by providing a wider variety of these options on their shelves.
- Food Manufacturing Industry
- Food manufacturers can diversify their product catalog by collaborating with minority-owned businesses to offer unique and cultural flavors and ingredients in their packaged food products.
