Two decades ago, snack lovers and non-Asians alike discovered mochi ice cream. The chewy mochi texture mixed with the smooth and creamy filling of sweet ice cream blew everyone’s minds. Today, non-Asian grocery stores carry mochi ice cream, some with brands that are owned and were created by non-Asian founders, like Bubbies Mochi.
Trader Joe’s, the beloved grocery store chain from Monrovia, California, introduced the world and internet to the “never-before-heard-of” snack food: kimbap. Despite Asian grocery stores carrying frozen kimbap since its invention during the Joseon Dynasty, everyone rushed to try it, along with the store’s other popular Asian items — soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, mochi waffles, and ube ice cream.
Trendy Asian snacks “discovered” in various Asian grocery stores across the U.S. have sent the internet into a scavenger hunt frenzy. For many non-Asian Americans, this may be their very first time stepping foot inside a store carrying common Asian household products — with an alluring food court, unlike the one with $1.50 hot dogs at Costco.
The increasing fascination with Asian snacks may have been formed by both the lack of exposure and past disinterest that people had. The lack of accessibility may have discouraged people from trying more of these items, but also, with the growing sensation of Asian culture online, the internet has a way of reshaping people’s minds when it comes to venturing out and trying new things.
Asian Supermarket as a Cultural Home
Some of these trending Asian snack items can only be found in local Asian supermarkets. Snacks like the viral mango and peach ice cream have become so popular because it cannot be found or discovered at typical grocery stores. While both Asian and non-Asian social media users have been posting about visiting shopping locations that carry these items, how does the experience differ between those being there for the first time and the many Asian Americans…
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