Building a brand that bridges cultures through food

Hi Jen, to start things off, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Absolutely! We originally started what was known as XCJ back in October 2018 as a restaurant. Then in 2020, we began selling frozen soup dumplings online, which is what we became known for. In 2023, we rebranded from XCJ to MìLà . Before launching the business, I was in health tech, and my husband and co-founder, Caleb, was in finance. Neither of us had prior experience in the food and beverage industry, this really started as a passion project for us. The initial concept was to create a night market-style hawker stall, where we could serve our favorite street foods. That passion quickly grew into something much bigger.

That’s incredible, starting from an idea and turning it into what it is today. Were there any specific childhood experiences that inspired you and Caleb in launching this business?

Definitely! It’s interesting because Caleb and I have different experiences that shaped our love for these foods. The first item we launched was shēng jiān bāo, a pan-fried soup bun, which was Caleb’s favorite food growing up. From ages one to five, he would go with his grandfather in Shanghai every day to get them. When we moved to the U.S., we could never quite find the same taste or texture that lived up to his childhood memories. That’s what motivated us to recreate that experience.

For me, I always loved street food, but I grew up in the U.S., and my parents are from different regions in China, so I was exposed to a variety of flavors. My favorite street food is lamb skewers, or yang rou chuan. Anytime I visited China, I’d go to night markets, get them on a stick, and just walk around enjoying the experience. It was always such a bonding moment, whether with family or friends. That’s something I always felt was missing in the U.S., why wasn’t this type of experience readily available here?

At what point did you realize this could be bigger than you originally envisioned? Was there a turning point that made you think, ‘This could be something huge’?

Absolutely. Initially, our restaurant was just one location, so when we started expanding beyond Seattle, it already felt like a big moment. But the real turning point was when we saw people from outside our region making extraordinary efforts to get our dumplings. We’d see customers filling up coolers with our frozen dumplings and flying them across the country to share with friends and family. That made us realize that there was a real demand beyond our immediate area.

Then, when we launched our website and started running ads, we saw the same strong interest in states where people had never heard of our brand before. That was a major realization, people weren’t just buying because of brand recognition, but because of the product itself. That’s when we knew we had found product-market fit, which is something every startup hopes for but is really hard to achieve in the early stages.

With such a rapid expansion from brick-and-mortar to a nation wide brand, how have you ensured the authenticity and quality of your products?

Quality has been a huge focus for us from the start. In the early days, I was personally handling customer service calls for both our restaurant and our direct-to-consumer business, while Caleb responded to support tickets. Even after bringing on a customer service team, we kept notifications coming to our phones to stay on top of feedback.

Operationally, we have multiple layers of quality control. Our production team does daily tastings, our R&D team does weekly evaluations, and then every few weeks, we conduct larger tastings with an extended group. Soup dumplings are a delicate product, factors like humidity and temperature can affect the dough, so having these quality checks in place helps us maintain consistency.

We'd love to talk more about your broader mission. Both of you have shared beautiful childhood stories about how much this product means to you, there’s something really special in what you mentioned earlier, the idea that access to certain foods, like soup dumplings, are not readily available across the U.S., yet there’s a real demand for it.

Right now, soup dumplings are having a real cultural moment. People from all backgrounds are curious about them, and we want to provide the best possible experience so that their first interaction is a great one. That way, they’re more likely to continue exploring, trying new flavors, and broadening their palate.

One of our key approaches is making this experience as welcoming as possible. Instead of saying, “This is the only right way to eat it,” we meet people where they are. It’s okay if you’ve never had a soup dumpling before or if you’re using a fork instead of chopsticks, what matters is that you’re trying something new. We make it easy by offering troubleshooting tips for whatever kitchen tools people have, whether it’s a vegetable steamer, Instant Pot, or slow cooker.

When it comes to bridging cultures, we see our food as a reflection of where we are today. The U.S. is a melting pot of different cuisines, influences, and identities, and while our products are rooted in Chinese food, we’re not rigidly bound by tradition, we use it as a starting point to evolve from. For example, we have a beef soup dumpling, which takes inspiration from Vietnamese flavors while staying true to the dumpling format, which is Chinese. Or we create dishes like individual noodle and rice bowls, which may not be typical of traditional Chinese food but reflect modern lifestyles and eating habits.

Ultimately, our philosophy is about honoring heritage while innovating for today’s world. We take inspiration from what’s been done before and build on it in a way that feels natural and exciting for a broader audience.

Reflecting on your journey as a whole, were there any brands or founders that inspired you along the way? Especially since COVID was a big turning point for your growth, were there any specific examples that shaped your approach?

Since we’re a mission-driven brand, we took a lot of inspiration from the first wave of COVID-era startups that gained traction, like Omsom, Sanzo, Fly By Jing, and Nguyen Coffee Supply. They did an incredible job with storytelling, highlighting the importance of representation, shifting narratives, and emphasizing what makes their products unique. Watching how they engaged their audiences and built loyal communities was really inspiring for us.

As we’ve grown, we’ve looked beyond Asian food brands. Siete, for example, expanded beyond a single product to build a full food platform, something we consider as we develop a broader Chinese food offering. Fishwife has done an incredible job engaging their community with creative ways to use their products, which we’re mirroring with one-pot recipes featuring our ramen and soup dumplings.

We also take notes from brands like Liquid Death, Olipop, and Poppi, which have redefined their categories through bold branding and consumer engagement. Their ability to energize a once-static space is something we aspire to as we grow.

Was there a moment when customer feedback reinforced why you’re building this brand and community?

There have been many meaningful moments. For example, our corn soup dumpling brought nostalgia for those familiar with Hong Kong corn chowder, while new customers found familiarity in its taste. Parents also tell us their picky-eater kids love our soup dumplings, making them a household staple like Dino Nuggets or pizza bagels. Some customers even shared that cooking our food became a bonding experience, one person mentioned it helped strengthen their relationship by creating a ritual around preparing and sharing meals.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start a purpose-driven brand?

I don’t think anything has to be perfect for you to start. There are so many ways to begin, and the important thing is to try. If it's a mission-driven effort, it helps to think about the impact you want to make. Of course, everyone hopes to grow and reach more people, but even touching just one person in a meaningful way is powerful. Recognizing and appreciating those moments makes the journey worthwhile. Understanding what you want out of the process, whether it's broad impact or simply making a difference to one person, can help guide you forward.

Before we wrap up, can you share any sneak peeks about what’s next? Any upcoming product launches, new flavors, or exciting collaborations on the horizon?

Yes! We’ve had our noodles available DTC for a little while now, but we’re thrilled to be launching them in retail starting this May. It’s a big step for us, and we’re excited for more people to be able to find them in stores soon!

Learn more about MìLà