After the lively ribbon-cutting ceremony, on the morning of May 4th, a long line formed in front of the Taiwan food/gift specialty store at 13089 Peyton Dr., Chino Hill. Mr. Wu Yushan, Chairman of iTaiwan Foods Group, announced plans to open 3 more branches this year, including in Houston, Texas, Temple City in the San Gabriel Valley, and Dublin in Northern California. They also aim to open a store near the Arizona TSMC factory next year and expand to a total of 30 stores within five years.
Following the opening of iTaiwan stores in San Jose and Rowland Heights in 2021, Southern California residents can now visit the third store, “Love Taiwan,” with a concept inspired by Taiwan’s traditional gam zai shops, offering Taiwanese high mountain tea, Jiade pineapple cakes, and other classic Taiwanese delicacies.
On the opening day, Mr. Wu Yushan, accompanied by the store managers of Chino Hill and Rowland Heights, welcomed guests including officials from the Los Angeles Economic and Cultural Office, the Taiwan Merchants Association, and the American Asian Chain Enterprises Association. Influencer Choyce served as the host of the opening, highlighting the unique “internet-famous wall” in each iTaiwan store, featuring locations such as Jiufen in San Jose, Dihua Street in Rowland Heights, and Alishan in Chino Hill for visitors to take photos and check in.
Local residents of various ethnicities visited the new store, where staff happily shared their fond memories and flavors of Taiwan. Customers spending over $50 at the new store receive complimentary practical items. For safety reasons, the store only accepts card and electronic payments on weekends but accepts cash on weekdays without restrictions.
Mr. Wu Yushan shared the founding story of iTaiwan, recounting his background in electrical engineering and frequent travels between Taiwan and the US for work since 2012. His experiences led him to establish the experimental store in Union City in Northern California in 2016, which proved successful, prompting further expansion to Southern California. He aims to introduce more quality Taiwanese brands, from traditional flavors to natural produce from small farms and popular hometown souvenirs, catering to both homesick Taiwanese and American consumers with a taste for quality.
Pan Xuanpei and Hong Yuhuan, responsible for market development at iTaiwan Foods, emphasized the strong purchasing power of Chinese consumers and the Taiwanese community’s nostalgia and food safety concerns. They highlighted the importance of brand image, quality control, and authentic Taiwanese flavors. Since securing the distribution rights for “Wei Lih Shan Chuan,” they found it easier to gain trust from renowned Taiwanese brands. iTaiwan also collaborates with Taiwanese agricultural associations, visits Hakka villages, farms, and more to offer quality-assured fresh produce like enoki mushrooms, white wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, preserved vegetables, rice noodles, and glass noodles.
Just in time for the iTaiwan anniversary celebration, activities such as product sampling, food scavenger hunts, raffles, and more are set to kick off. For more details, please visit the website iTaiwanfoods.com. ◇