Anthony Wu (Founder, CEO) A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Tony previously worked in management consulting, private equity and international trade. He loves noups (“noodle soups”), Asian American data and hitting the game-winner in pick-up basketball (it never happens).

What inspired you all to create this company?
Nomz crafts clean Asian soups designed for busy days. We are inspired by our love for noodle soups and our desire to see beautiful, quality Asian brands in the grocery aisle. Too often, Asian CPG products are perceived as foreign, cheaper and lower-quality as they are often intended for lower-income immigrant populations. With our focus on distinctive ingredients and convenience, we are proud to nudge the legacy narrative as we build an extraordinary traditional Asian food brand that can be trusted and accessible to all. Additionally, thanks to food shows and social media, there is a meaningful clamor for traditional Asian food (Not General Tso’s!) beyond simply Asian Americans. Our recipes hit on what is frequently desired by the modern consumer – convenience, traditional flavors, clean labels – and our branding is designed with the single language American in mind.

As with Goldhouse, we understand and respect the grueling effort it took to arrive to where we are today in arts, food and culture. However, we also know certain legacy perceptions aren’t our ceiling, and it is our mission and responsibility to build the culture higher.

What distinguishes your company and product in the market?
Our product focus, branding and clean ingredient labels set us apart in the industry. In America, simplistically there are two segments of frozen Asian CPG which are marketed to different demographics: Westernized Asian flavors (e.g., General Tso’s) and traditional Asian flavors. Historically, the traditional Asian segment is dominated by legacy companies headquartered in Asia. They primarily focus on the lower-income immigrant population. While our company also specializes in traditional Asian flavors, we are unique in several ways:

First, we offer different recipes from what are commonly offered, and we prioritize quality – often organic – ingredients. Legacy competitors typically focus on lower cost, and as a result, do not match the quality of our inputs.

Second, our branding is beautiful, modern and designed for single language Americans (English). Most legacy competitors do not tailor their packaging or product for the modern consumer, and utilize an Asian language as the primary script.

Third, Nomz does not utilize any preservatives or additives. This represents a departure from the traditional Asian food industry who historically has been among the pioneers and widest adopters of such enhancers.

In the past, consumers did not have many alternatives to complex, lower-priced foreign products. Today, Nomz offers one.