Founders: Vanessa Pham and Kim Pham
Vanessa and Kim Pham launched Omsom (which means rowdy in Vietnamese) to help people recreate authentic Asian dishes at home. While the sisters are seeing Asian Americans "claim their voices" more within broader American culture, they do not feel like the same progress is being reflected in grocery stores, where Asian flavors are often diluted and are being confined to the "ethnic" or "international" aisle. In the words of Vanessa Pham, "How can you boil a cuisine down into one sad jar of sauce?”
Omsom debuted Spring 2020 selling starter packs - the sauces, aromatics, and seasonings needed to cook a specific Asian dish at home (the customer just needs protein and veggies to complete). Vanessa and Kim focused heavily on ingredient sourcing, chef collaborations, and recipe R&D to ensure the quality and integrity of their products.
“It's a pivotal time for the Asian American community. Now, more than ever, we're stepping into our voices and our power, influencing American media, culture, and diets. We're building Omsom because we hope to honor and celebrate the communities and cuisines represented." - Vanessa
Sources: Forbes, TechCrunch, Thrillist, Omsom website