Founded in 2015, Pokeworks emerged as a culinary venture stemming from a shared vision. Drawing inspiration from numerous trips to Hawaii, the founders were captivated by the distinct flavors of poke, prompting them to bring this fresh, healthful, and beloved island delicacy to the mainland United States.

With a steadfast commitment to a wholesome lifestyle and premium ingredients, Pokeworks offers a culinary experience that reverberates with authenticity. Their menu artfully captures the genuine essence of Hawaiian flavors, showcasing a medley of signature creations and customizable options.

Aside from this, Pokeworks champions sustainability, prioritizing responsibly sourced seafood and conscientious material choices. This ethos extends to all aspects of the brand’s operations, affirming a holistic dedication to social and environmental responsibility.

Asian Hustle Network had the chance to sit down for an interview with one of Pokeworks’ co-founders, Peter Yang. Join us as we delve deeper into their story and uncover the insights that drive their success.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The idea of Pokeworks dates back to 2015, when my co-founders, Mike Chen and Mike Wu, met over lunch. Mike Chen just had his wedding in Maui and Mike Wu had just come back to the mainland after months in Oahu launching a restaurant. They reminisced about the delicious poke they enjoyed on the island and wondered why it’s not a staple on the mainland. We took inspiration from build-your-own fast casuals like Chipotle, and ran with the idea of “Poke Your Way”. As cliche as it sounds, we spent months R&D’ing out of Mike Wu’s garage until we all felt the flavors were perfect.

Several months later, we opened the doors to our first location in midtown Manhattan – a tiny 750-square-foot space. It was a cold December, and most of the city had left for the holidays – it was quiet… and our sales were bleak. Besides correcting our guests on the pronunciation of “poke”, I had to turn away several guests with “Sorry, no, we do not sell Pokemon cards.” Educating the market was definitely an early challenge we had to overcome.

The new year rolled around and our lines got progressively longer day after day. As business grew, we kept our heads down and continued to focus on operational excellence – great products and great guest service. Word quickly spread, and we became the popular kids on the block.

Fast forward 8 years and a pandemic later, we’re 70 locations proud across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Taiwan.

THE CONCEPT OF SUSHI BURRITO

We aimed to create a handheld version of Poke by blending two of my personal favorites: a burrito and a sushi roll – what’s not to love? We had fun with it and added it to the menu.

Little did we know, this menu addition would become a turning point in our growth.

During a lunch rush one day, a representative from Business Insider walked into our tiny shop and asked if she could record a video featuring our Poke Burrito. Despite my initial hesitation – our shop was so small that my staff and I could barely squeeze another body in without slowing down our line – I agreed. Well, it was a good thing I let her shoot the video because once it was uploaded, it went absolutely viral.

It. Was. Insanity. This short 1 minute clip, triggered lines around the block for months. We had to hire bouncers for crowd control!

POKEWORKS’ COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Early in our brand development, the co-founders took deliberate steps to define our core values. One of them is: “Sustainability – meeting today’s needs without compromising tomorrow.” The founders understand that it goes beyond just making a profit, but how we can leave the world a better place for our children. Personally, since becoming a father recently, this sentiment has never rung louder. We want to make sure it’s not just a marketing buzzword, but a core value that helps guide our every decision. 

All of the seafood that we source carries a “Best Choice” rating by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, procured from vendors that are environmentally and socially responsible. Our tuna is exclusively procured from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sources, a reflection of our commitment to ending overfishing and promoting sustainable fishing practices. Our salmon holds certifications from both the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), embodying the highest industry standards for minimizing environmental impact and upholding the well-being of communities, workers, and animals.

For many of our store build-outs, the wood used in our dining rooms is of local species and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. In some of our shops, the facade of our counters is made with recycled bamboo chopsticks.

Our commitment to sustainability extends to exploring alternative seafood and plant-based products. We are partnering with leading plant-based food manufacturers such as Impact Foods and Omni Foods to explore alternative seafood options. Our plant-based spam musubis are also a huge hit! We’ve also partnered with innovators like Wildtype, to explore cutting-edge cultivated seafood.

FRANCHISEE SPOTLIGHT

We seek franchisees who embody a passion for the brand and resonate with our mission statement and core values. One of which is being service-obsessed: We put the team’s needs first. We are here to serve our guests and community. We do this by being responsive, helpful, productive, and following through with our commitments, and spreading aloha.

I’d like to extend a big shout-out to Alvin Zhang, an exceptional franchisee at Pokeworks who embodies this value and who truly shines as both an entrepreneur and an outstanding individual dedicated to his community. At the peak of the pandemic, when hospitals were facing dire circumstances, Alvin and his Pokeworks team worked overtime to generously donate over 2000 poke bowls to 12 hospitals across Queens NY, and Long Island.

UPLIFTING THE AAPI COMMUNITY

We take pride in the Asian-inspired products and flavors that we serve. From spicy Sichuan poke to sweet chili gochujang poke. Sharing these flavors from our roots to the mainstream is a great privilege. 

During COVID, we partnered with Heart of Dinner to help nourish NYC’s community of Asian elders. They have a wonderful mission of supporting the AAPI community, and we’re proud to be a part of it.

We also take immense pride in having Regina Cheung, a Chinese-American, at the helm as CEO at Pokeworks, leading the charge with remarkable expertise and charisma. Furthermore, all of the co-founders are Asian-American and share the immigrant journey. 

We hope that our story and Pokeworks’ AAPI leaders can inspire future generations of AAPI entrepreneurs to dive confidently into their careers and passions. 

PETER YANG’S ADVICE TO ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

Don’t do it alone. Learn to ask for help. It all starts within your community.

We are very proud to say that there are a total of 8 co-founders at Pokeworks. Most advisors will tell you that’s crazy, but we made it work! We’ve learned to set aside our egos and each of us plays a distinct and vital role within the organization.

This principle aligns perfectly with another core value of ours: the incredible power of teamwork.

CONNECT WITH POKEWORKS

Instagram: @pokeworksco

Website: pokeworks.com

Franchise: pokeworksfranchise.com

Sharon Ku, born and raised in Hong Kong, is one of the co-founders behind Uji Time Dessert, a delightful dessert store in the Bay Area.

Sharon has been working in the food industry for the past 15 years since she graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Nutrition Science.

Through Uji Time Dessert, Sharon and her team bring together the best of East Asian flavors and desserts, making them accessible to everyone. The pop-up store’s authenticity and creativity garnered massive success, and it became the first dessert shop of its kind in the Bay Area.

In an interview with Asian Hustle Network, Sharon Ku shared her journey as an entrepreneur. Read through as we discover how she turned her passion into a thriving business, and how she found inspiration within the community.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Uji Time Dessert opened its first pop-up store in April 2016. Together with John Ip and Benson Leung, we have been taking far east flavors and desserts and making them mainstream in the Bay Area. Our famous Fish Cone, called Taiyaki, is our take on the traditional Japanese dessert in the shape of a fish, usually filled with red bean paste. The pop-up was a great success because of its authenticity. Uji Time Dessert was the first dessert store selling Taiyaki soft serve in the Bay Area.

Uji Time Dessert loves to combine and meld elements from multiple traditional desserts to create affordable treats for everyone. Our goal is simple – think of Uji Time Dessert when you crave Japanese fusion-style desserts.

Uji Time Dessert regularly offers Instagrammable, fun, and delicious desserts and ice cream for all ages. It has transformed into a full-scale dessert cafe, from Fish Cone (Taiyaki), black sesame soft serve, lychee ice cream mochi, Matcha Latte, Earl Grey puddings, to Hojicha and Genmaicha ice cream. Depending on the season, Uji Time Dessert offers limited production seasonal flavors, such as strawberry rose and lavender in soft serve or ice cream.

During COVID, we connected with many local businesses to do cross-promotion and share resources. We offer our stores as pick-up locations for other business owners. Other business owners help to promote our brand and products.

In 2022, Uji Time Dessert expanded its footprint to Seattle, Washington, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Uji Time Dessert continues to seek opportunities to serve our customers.

NAVIGATING THROUGH THE COVID-19 CHALLENGES

COVID hit hard across Bay Area San Francisco in 2020. Our sales dropped to 0% as we only sold soft-serve ice cream. Our stores were forced to close for 3-12 months. We closed two stores permanently.

Despite COVID-19 challenges, we expanded from 0 to 25 local supermarkets. Closing three stores didn’t stop us; we opened three new locations and have more coming in Palm Springs and New Mexico with our licensed partners.

These difficulties brought our team closer and made us stronger. From a small ice cream shop, we now distribute to various locations in the Bay Area. The growth and partnerships showcase our resilience and quality. I’m inspired and confident in our continued success.

SUPPORT AND INSPIRATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

I’m grateful to the Asian Hustle Network community for sharing inspiring stories of persistence, and for the connections I’ve made in this group.

I met Jing who has a passion for helping small businesses, the owner of Kaya Bread, and other inspiring individuals. Connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs and supporting my brand growth has been invaluable. 

Once again, I want to express my gratitude to the Asian Hustle Network for providing a platform that facilitates learning, sharing, and gaining inspiration. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be part of this community and to share my story of resilience, growth, and the joy of forging connections to support others in building their own brands.

VALUABLE LESSONS AS A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR

I would suggest everyone not to give up.

We should not focus on what might stop us from achieving our goals. We should think of what we can do to make a change. Don’t be afraid and try to reach out. Many experienced entrepreneurs would love to share their experiences and thoughts with you.

CONNECT WITH UJI TIME DESSERT

Instagram: @ujitimedessert

Tiktok: @ujitimedessert

Facebook: Uji Time Dessert