An Eater editor’s takeways from Momofuku’s chili crunch crisis

Decoding the aftermath, and what comes next. [View on web]( [A photo of chef David Chang, smiling ]( David Chang appearing on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” | Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images In the 20 years since Momofuku [first opened]( its scrappy East Village restaurant, it has become a player in the specialty grocery world, earning [$50 million]( in sales in 2023. The transition from restaurants to grocery items was fast-tracked during the pandemic, reinforced by the closing of [Momofuku Ko](and [Ssam Bar]( this past year. Now, it’s Momofuku Goods, the pantry arm of the company, that’s pulling in the profits: No amount of restaurant noodles could come close. I’ve been covering the New York restaurant scene on and off since 2015, and have written many stories reporting on Momofuku’s growth and transformation from a restaurant-based company to one making money off consumer packaged goods ([CPG](). So when I saw the Instagram post from [Yun Hai Taiwanese Kitchen]( highlighting Momofuku’s pattern of enforcing the trademarking of “chili crunch” — specifically related to the Momofuku-branded product — I knew it was something we needed to report on, even if trademark law is the kind of topic that causes people’s eyes to glaze over. But this scenario differed from your run-of-the-mill trademark dispute: For many across the Asian diaspora, the company’s behavior was proof that Momofuku was using its success to box out other Asian entrepreneurs. And, some argue, the company [has trademarked](the name of a condiment that’s as common as “mustard” or “jam.” Shortly after the Guardian [broke the story](, I spoke with the founders of two small businesses that produce their own versions of chili crunch. Michelle Tew, the founder of Malaysian food brand Homiah, which makes [Sambal Chili Crunch](, briefed me on [how the trademark impacted her business](, and her plans to respond. She was organized, fierce, and steadfast — determined to keep her product’s name. That same day, I spoke to [Susan Hojel](, founder of the three-person Mexican company, Chile Colonial, makers of [Chile Crunch](, who, [in 2015](, trademarked the term “chile crunch” (spelled with an “e”) in the first place. She sent Momofuku a cease-and-desist in 2022. During our conversation, Hojel explained that she bought the trademark not because of other competing small businesses, but to protect her business from the bigger-fish companies like Trader Joe’s, who, she claims, previously [tried to rip off her product.]( (Momofuku also cited this concern when explaining their original intent in a recent statement.) Momofuku later bought her trademark, and she now licenses the name from Momofuku. While these Asian-owned companies claimed their culture had been co-opted, Momofuku had a couple of options for moving forward: They could continue enforcing the trademark but vilifying themselves, or stop policing the trademark and accept the sunk cost of buying the trademark from Hojel in the first place. And even with the details of the events [crystallizing on a Friday]( at the end of the week’s news cycle, this was the kind of story that I figured would snowball rather than die down over the weekend. Sure enough, that’s what happened — and it only crescendoed the following week, with outlets from the [Washington Post](to the [New York Times]( picking it up, as well as some pretty outspoken and creative commentary across social media along the way. Momofuku had gone from not commenting in public one week to issuing [a 20-minute podcast]( on the debacle the following Friday — my colleague Bettina Makalintal [deftly covered]( the statement as soon as it dropped early that evening — which has led some to question the sincerity of such a stark change of opinion. What are the takeaways from this situation? The Asian American food community’s firm stand ensures that Homiah’s Sambal Chili Crunch, and other chili crunches, will keep their names. Momofuku, on the other hand, has already spent a sizable sum buying the trademark (albeit it may be a negligible amount for a company that big). And its reputation has taken a hit. To what degree has the chili crunch debacle harmed Momofuku? Probably not much, given that Chang’s company is already well on its way to becoming a giant. Is it already too late to garner goodwill from customers and other independent makers? If the social media backlash is any indication, definitely. But the likeliest outcome of all? This might just be another blip of a conflict on David Chang and Momofuku’s track record, but you’ll have to catch up with the coverage and decide the rest for yourself. More Links: - If the past two weeks have left you feeling discouraged about the preservation of ancestral culinary traditions, Eater Detroit editor Serena Maria Daniels trekked through the Midwest in search of the [Mexican restaurants and tortilla makers embracing Indigenous nixtamalization]( as they vie to make masa a staple of the region. - Correspondent Jaya Saxena dove into the experience of volunteering with [WWOOF, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms](, to see if voluntourism could have a positive and meaningful impact. - With Passover beginning tomorrow, Home editor Rebecca Flint Marx rounded up [the best-tasting matzo](. - But if you’re looking for a less traditional, less formal celebration, consider heading to your neighborhood dive bar. At least, that’s the move for Chicago residents who live near this watering hole, which encourages [chasing your Malört with Matzo ball soup.]( For the rest of us, the Eater Cities have compiled [maps of the dining destinations]( that are equally worth visiting. Malört not guaranteed. —Melissa McCart, editor, Eater NY If you like this email, please forward it to a friend. If you aren't signed up for this newsletter, you can [do so right here](.  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=today). View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 11, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.