Debra Borchardt
Sweet-flavored edibles have dominated the infused food categories for the cannabis industry, but savory snacks are slowly gaining fans.
According to BDSA, edibles were responsible for 12.1% of all U.S. cannabis sales by September 2022. Candy topped demand, for 73% of edibles sales in 2022, while “other edibles” – which includes savory snacks – commands less than 1%. It’s a small category, but it has also grown 414% year-over-year.
That increasing demand for savory snacks may be colliding with another Gen Z trend. That crowd has been drawn to Asian flavors, such as shrimp chips and rice crackers, as they look for healthier snacks.
These snacks are definitely conversation starters as well.
Enter Roy Choi. The legendary chef joined forces with THC-infused edibles company TSUMo Snacks to take advantage of both emerging trends, creating the “Good Fortune Bundle” in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The bundles showcase premium cannabis goods from leading California AAPI-owned brands along with a TSUMo snack.
“The ‘Good Fortune Bundle’ came about after five California AAPI cannabis brands began collaborating during AAPI Heritage Month to celebrate our shared culture, but it turned into something even more meaningful,” said Caroline Yeh, CEO and co-founder of TSUMo. “Growing up AAPI, we were raised to navigate life in a very prescriptive manner – and cannabis most definitely was not considered part of the journey. This program aims to honor maverick AAPI brands with hand-selected products that accentuate each company’s distinctive offerings and connections to AAPI culture.
“Whether it’s a vape designed by an AAPI engineer’s technology, gummies featuring lychee fruit or flavors such as Chef Roy Choi’s Spicy Cheesy Ramen Puffs, this curated selection of products highlights the bounty of AAPI culture through the beautiful lens of cannabis.”
Cannabis use has a long history in Asian culture, dating back 2,500 years, yet only 2.4% of cannabis businesses in the United States operate under Asian-American leadership.
Through the “Good Fortune Bundle” program, TSUMo Snacks and its partner brands aim to highlight and celebrate the bounty of Asian-American cannabis culture through a shared passion for collaboration, community, and cannabis.
In addition to TSUMo Snacks’ Spicy Cheesy Ramen puff collaboration with Choi, California consumers will find other AAPI-celebrated products in these bundles, with cannabis offerings from Bloom Brands, Elefante Inc., Pure Beauty and Sundae School.
For every bundle sold during AAPI Heritage Month, each brand will donate 50 cents to the Asian Americans for Cannabis Education (AACE). AACE helps destigmatize cannabis by connecting the AAPI cannabis community through education, networking, social media, and other resources.
“With this exaltation of AAPI brands, we hope to empower and inspire the next generation of AAPI cannabis industry professionals, and to spark dialogue about issues affecting Asian communities relating to cannabis use and acceptance,” Yeh said.
“The AAPI community endures hate crimes and discrimination every day,” she continued. “By amplifying our voices, we hope to reach those who have been hurt and let them know they are not alone.”
