Cultural cuisines thrill the palates of immigrants

With the influx of Chinese immigrants to the United States over the past 50 years, the US culinary industry and wholesale marketplace are undergoing a transformation as they realize that satisfying the palates of five million Chinese Americans equates to feeding a cash cow.

San Francisco Bay Area resident Jenny Chen was overwhelmed with surprise during a recent visit to her local Costco store. Boxes of salted duck eggs labeled in Chinese characters and grayish-green egg images stacked the shelves like towers.

"They (salted duck eggs) are very Chinese gourmet," Chen said. "I can't believe Costco in America carries such a household name from Gaoyou, a small, remote place in China's Jiangsu province. I bought six boxes with 12 duck eggs each for $5.99."

Chen is not the only Chinese immigrant thrilled by the diverse products offered by the Seattle-headquartered wholesaler.

"How is it possible that Costco knows what we want and imports from Gaoyou?" said Lilian Zhang, who also purchased salted duck eggs. "I'm amazed."

Boasting the sixth-largest freshwater lake in China, Gaoyou is well-known for its abundant aquatic products and water poultry. Over centuries, locals have preserved duck eggs by brining them to produce salty whites and rich, creamy yolks, creating a local specialty with stimulating flavors.

The salted duck egg, said Chen, serves as a bridge linking the cultural roots she grew up with. "In the morning, my parents would prepare plain congee paired with salted duck eggs for breakfast," Li recalled. "Slicing an egg open and spooning out the fatty yolk is a vivid childhood memory. I screamed if there were two bright orange yolks in the shell."

Helen Du, the operator who cultivated this regional foodie craze, described it as a miracle. Founder of Pistis World Kitchen, a company specializing in Asian food purchasing and sourcing for wholesale chains like Costco, Du has honed her business acumen through 20 years of closely monitoring the market and catering to shifting consumer needs.

"Chinese food items, especially local delicacies and brands, were less-known and reluctantly accepted in the US," said Du. However, with the rapid increase of the Chinese American population, mainstream business channels smell opportunities to cash in on culinary regionalism, soliciting particular food products to target specific ethnic groups — particularly California.

There were about 4.7 million Chinese Americans in the US as of 2022, according to the US Census Bureau. Among them, an estimated 1.82 million live in California. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area in Southern California and the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area in Northern California are densely populated with Chinese immigrants.

"You are what you eat, right? When Chinese immigrants are looking for food they grew up with, the taste they love and miss so much, business opportunities arise," said Alice Tu, who runs her Asian food grocery store in Fremont, California. "Unlike older generations who accept so-called Americanized Chinese food, new Chinese immigrants are craving something made in or from China, especially their hometown specialties."

"About two years ago, a Costco buyer contacted me to check whether I could supply Gaoyou duck eggs," said Du. "Coincidentally, the parents of my child's classmate are from Gaoyou and they assured me that duck eggs from their hometown would make a killer product."

Since the duck eggs' debut in early December in Northern California, about 40,000 packages have been sold in less than three weeks, said Du, adding that restocking remains robust.

Alok Gupta, an Indian immigrant in Mountain View, California, received a pack of Gaoyou duck eggs from his Chinese neighbor. "Delicious and rich in nutrients," he said. "Duck eggs contain lower cholesterol but a higher ratio of lecithin compared with other eggs — a smart choice for health-conscious people like me."

Gupta said his dining-out options keep expanding thanks to recommendations from his Chinese co-workers and friends. "Hot pot, for instance, is my all-time top pick. I'm fortunate to live in California where we have diverse, authentic Chinese food."

Among the many hot pot restaurants operating in the US, the chain Haidilao is a pioneer that entered foreign markets early and gained popularity among US customers. Relying on ambitious all-channel marketing and frequent promotions, it draws loyal patrons.

During a recent address to the media in Singapore, CEO Yang Lijuan of Super Hi International, the operator of Haidilao's overseas business, said the company will soon open more outlets in New York and Los Angeles as the US market provides the "biggest global potential".