SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Geem, a Korean seaweed snack brand founded by Candice Choi in 2023, will expand into Whole Foods Market stores across Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii in July 2025. The rollout follows the brand’s entry into select Whole Foods locations within three months of its launch as a direct-to-consumer venture.
Choi attributed the brand’s rapid retail adoption to strong consumer interest and shifting buyer attitudes. "There was so much confluence of people being really excited about our snacks and stores really willing to take us on that was really, really exciting." She added, "Traditionally, buyers are gatekeepers, and it takes years and years and years to develop those relationships, but they saw the category was growing, and we've been performing."
According to market research firm Circana, sales of Asian grocery items increased from $1.57 billion in 2021 to over $2.31 billion in 2024. BDA Partners reported that Asian products grew nearly four times faster than overall grocery sales in 2024 and projects the U.S. Asian food market will reach $51.3 billion by 2031, with a 4.7% compounded annual growth rate.
Circana analyst Sally Wyatt said the rising popularity of Asian flavors reflects a broader cultural shift in American grocery habits. "Especially as younger consumers are exploring, as consumers want to travel but maybe can't, we do see that food and beverage is just a perfect way to get a taste of a culture that you might not be able to do every day." She added, "So the flavors provide some unique experiences and can allow for culture exploration through food."
Wyatt noted that condiments, sauces, and frozen foods are among the fastest-growing segments in Asian groceries and that mainstream retailers are increasingly incorporating these items beyond traditional ethnic aisles. "I could go down each aisle, and all of them have been touched by the ethnicity of different cultures, flavors, combinations." She also said, "You've started to see those go into more mainstream because these retailers are wanting to appeal to not just the Asian consumer, but the consumer that wants to have the Asian exploration and Asian flavor combinations."