Chapter 12: Started with a Ziplock. Came Back with a Booth!

A year ago, we walked the Fancy Food Show with a dream and oats in a Ziplock bag. No real packaging. No clear direction. Definitely no booth. Just the two of us, buzzing with an idea we couldn’t stop thinking about. We were wide-eyed. And wildly excited.

Fast forward to this year and we came back as Gamsa Foods! With real product. An actual booth(!!). New and wonderful team members that are helping make this savory dream a reality. And a much clearer sense of what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and a strategy for a path forward. 

This year’s show felt like a debut in every way. Not just of our savory oatmeal, but of us (as co-founders) who are finally all in. Both full time. Both a little nervous. Both VERY ready.

But what stood out most at the show wasn’t just the trends or the new flavors (though yes, savory breakfast is quietly rising…). It was the people.

We saw so many teams that looked like us- those who’ve left behind stable jobs, walked away from what was “supposed to” make them happy, and decided to build something from scratch instead. A lot of them are immigrants or first-gen. A lot of them are figuring it out as they go. And all of them are doing something bold and brave and full of heart.

We met the founders of Sourmilk (previously Beny yogurt), who had to change their brand name after a trademark surprise- but handled it with so much grace. We met drink makers reimagining ancestral ingredients. Lemonade brands with a twist. Friends turning their shared cravings into companies.

There’s something really beautiful about realizing you’re not the only ones doing the bold, slightly crazy thing. That there are others out there taking the same leap, with the same hope.

And honestly? It gave us a second wind.

The food world can feel overwhelming. But it can also feel like magic. There are aisles full of ghosts (brands that are lost or on their way out) and dreams and snacks you’ve never heard of. And then there’s you- trying to offer something warm and weird and real. Something you believe in.

This time, it felt like we belonged.

Thank you for being part of this with us! Whether you’ve been here from the first bowl or just joined the Gamsa table, we’re so glad you’re here. These little diary entries help us pause, breathe, and take stock of what we’ve built. And more importantly, what’s still possible.

Going to the Fancy Food Show was a full-circle moment for me. Just a year ago, Gamsa was still an idea I was testing in my home kitchen. Standing at our booth last week and sharing our product with buyers, distributors, and press honestly felt surreal! But not gonna lie, it was also SCARY. This was the first time we were officially debuting our product to the industry. It meant putting myself out there, opening myself up to feedback, and saying: this is who we are and what we believe in.

When we set our goals and KPIs for the show, we thought we were being ambitious. But we exceeded every expectation we had by getting media attention, meeting retail buyers, and starting conversations that could shape our next chapter.
One of the wildest parts? I ended up talking to a few folks from major Korean conglomerates (I won’t name them but they are household-name brands I grew up with!) who swung by our booth. One even asked me (half-joking, half-not): “Aren’t you afraid we’ll copy you?”

I laughed and said, “Why…do you want to?” LOL. And then I told him the truth: No, I’m not afraid. Because what we’re building is more than just a product- it’s a Korean American brand, rooted in my lived experience and I have an incredible team that understands both worlds. There’s only one Gamsa Foods. Only one of me. And that matters!

These big companies have tried to reach American consumers before and they’ve fallen short… not because the product wasn’t good, but because they didn’t understand the cultural nuance or what makes something resonate emotionally!
That conversation reminded me: we’re not just launching a product- we’re creating a new category. When I spoke with buyers at the show, so many echoed the same sentiment: the hot cereal aisle is stale. There’s nothing savory. There’s nothing exciting.

We’re not just participating… we’re pioneering.

So all to say, I’m not afraid of competitors. In fact, we welcome them! Because real change happens in numbers. And it’s going to take more than one brand to rewrite what breakfast can look like in this country. But I know Gamsa is the one leading that charge.

With gratitude,
Sarah