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The Netflix Effect on Asian Snacks, Noodles Is Real, CEO Says

Yami’s founder talks about Asian pop culture and raising $50 million to expand an online market that spans ramen to hydration masks.

Yami, an online market for Asian goods founded in 2013, expects to reach $300 million in sales this year. — Yami, an online market for Asian goods founded in 2013, expects to reach $300 million in sales this year.
Source: Yami

By

Daniela Sirtori-Cortina

April 7, 2022, 11:00 AM UTC

Like many founders, Alex Zhou started a business out of frustration.

When he moved to the U.S. from China, Zhou quickly realized that finding his favorite chili sauce and tea would be hard. He eventually discovered an Asian market that was a two-hour drive from Kansas State University, where he studied industrial engineering. But he wasn’t satisfied and in 2013 founded Yami, an online retailer that offers imported Asian goods.