20 AAPI Businesses We Want to Work For
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’ve rounded up some great AAPI-owned businesses our Inturns have been loving.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the push to #SupportLocal and #SupportSmallBusinesses became more and more trendy, and for good reason. What also came more into the light, however, are the racial tensions that have been hiding beneath. It’s unfortunate and disappointing to know that we’re still dealing with this in 2022. But with every tiny gesture, every shoutout, and every time we support each other, we can only hope that we’ll uplift and inspire others to do the same.
So, without further ado, here’s our list of AAPI-owned businesses we think you should check out.
Good light is skincare for everyone. While most skincare is marketed towards a specific gender, good light is “beauty beyond the binary” with formulas that are focused on being better for our skin and the world we live in. Because better skin doesn’t have to come at a cost of a better world, right?
2. Chunks
What started out as a quest to find a cute hair clip turned into a small business selling all kinds of hair accessories. Chunks has even collaborated with AAGC (Asian American Girl Club) to create a jade-inspired hair clip that is sure to attract compliments.
3. Koa
Koa is a Hawaiʻi-born skincare brand that draws experience from ancient rituals to create skincare that is second nature. By using traditional ingredients such as Hawaiian Kukui Nut and Pacific Giant Seaweed, Koa strives to look toward the past to pave a better future.
4. Laos Supply
Laos Supply is a brand taking the streetwear world by storm. With features in New York Magazine and Buzzfeed, the brand has become respected by stylists all over the world. Its commitment to melding traditional with modern keeps street fashion lovers on their toes.
5. Woo
Sought-after tattoo artist Dr. Woo blended his art and lifestyle together into a clean skincare product. Preserving beautiful art on one’s skin requires proper pre and post-care. Woo is made in small batches using simple ingredients safe for all.
6. Lanshin
Lashin is a holistic skincare studio offering everything from skincare, tools, and even classes. By using traditional Chinese medicine and methods, Lanshin heals and restores the body to its natural radiance. Beauty is inside and out.
7. Pepper
If you’re part of the IBTC, you know how hard it is to find a bra that fits. So many brands create bras with the impression that smaller women have small chests, while bigger women have bigger chests — this couldn’t be more wrong. That’s where Pepper comes in.
8. Copper Cow
Coffee drinkers and caffeine addicts know Vietnamese coffee packs a punch of energy while still being a sweet treat. Copper Cow Coffee mixes the Vietnamese tradition of condensed milk lattes with elevated twists such as lavender, rose, and even mocha condensed creamer.
9. Pono Potions
Chef and mixologist turned business owner, Peter Hessler, found it difficult to source quality natural syrups for use at home without making them himself. Pono Potions creates artisanal syrups focusing on the flavors of Hawaiʻi. Each potion can be used as an everyday addition to coffee, cocktails, or culinary creations.
10. Clean Circle
When Lena, owner of Clean Circle, found that companies weren’t making quality sustainable versions of her single-use products, she decided to make her own! Using bamboo fibers and konjac roots, Lena created sustainable makeup wipes and cotton rounds that are not only sustainable but also a nod to her Asian heritage.
11. Dang Foods
Dang Foods is sharing uniquely Asian-American snacks such as flavored coconut chips, Thai rice chips, and keto-friendly bars, and DANG… they really are good. Owners Vincent and Andrew named the company after their mother, Mama Dang, and source their coconuts from family farms in Thailand.
12. Glowasis
As a kanaka-owned business, Glowasis is bringing the power of natural care through IV therapy and vitamin shots to the Hawaiian Islands. As a trained and licensed APRN, Shay Revuelto knows a thing or two about the human body and she hopes to help her community be healthy from the inside.
13. Girl & Dug Farm
Established in 2005, Girl & Dug Farm started out as an 8-acre farm and has since turned into a 180-acre farm with 100 employees! Girl & Dug Farm supplies unique vegetables to all of Los Angeles’s Michelin star restaurants and sells themed boxes to help customers discover new favorites.
14. Nguyen Coffee
The perfect cup of coffee is only five minutes away. Nguyen Coffee is the first coffee company in the U.S. to celebrate, champion, and offer freshly-roasted, single-origin robusta beans from Vietnam. The brand’s slogan is “for the people’s grind,” reflecting their mission to inspire your hustle.
15. One Stripe Chai
Farah Jesani grew up drinking Chai. It was a ritual for her as an Indian-American. However, she avoided ordering chai lattes in public because it was always too sweet or too bland. After quitting her job in consulting, she launched One Stripe Chai and has since expanded to more South Asian beverages.
Palaman Purveyors started as a small idea that just wouldn’t stop spreading. They sell yummy jams inspired by Filipino and local Hawaii culture. With flavors like ube and mais con queso, Palaman Purveyors is bringing even more comfort into your morning toast routine.
17. Cropsticks Co.
While traveling on a long-haul flight, founder Mylen Yamamoto found herself frustrated with her chopsticks rolling off the airplane tray table. That’s when the idea came to her: a disposable (but sustainable) bamboo chopstick with a built-in hashioki. Find Cropsticks in Walt Disney resorts, The Four Seasons, or online.
Noona’s started in 2016 after winning the award for Best Flavor at a New York City ice cream contest with their delicious Toasted Rice flavor. Since then, Noona’s has become a trailblazer in the ice cream business creating familiar Asian flavors like Black Sesame and Matcha as well as whimsical flavors like Dalgona Coffee and a vegan Rose Ginger.
19. Umami Cart
Umami Cart is bringing all of your favorite Asian flavors to your doorstep! They carry traditional Asian brands (think Kikkoman and Lee Kum Kee) in addition to up-and-coming essentials like Sanzo and Fly by Jing. What’s better, Umami Cart’s offerings don’t stop at shelf-stable foods: they also offer fresh vegetables, seafood, and meat.
20. Cambio & Co.
Cambio & Co. is celebrating the beauty of the Philippines and showcasing it to the world. By sourcing each piece from Philippines-based designers, Cambio & Co. hopes to create a sustainable livelihood for artists while preserving pre-colonial Filipino culture with jewelry that is unapologetically pinay.
