# 6 AAPI-founded brands for my 2026 Lunar New Year celebration | Makena Kong

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- Published at: 2026-02-16 20:35:14 UTC
- Updated at: 2026-03-01 12:45:40 UTC

## Author
Makena Kong

## Subject
Makena Kong

## Content
In preparation for my Lunar New Year celebrations, I went searching for AAPI-founded CPG brands that have successfully raised on Wefunder.2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, it’s about bold energy, passion, and confidence. In that spirit, here are the AAPI founders I found blazing their own trails in food and beverage while honoring their Asian roots.Please leave a comment if there are any that I missed!Dokkaebier📍Oakland, CAAsian-inspired craft beer with flavors like yuzu, kimchi, and ube. Founded by Youngwon Lee, who spent 15 years distributing brands like Tito's and Patrón before starting Oakland's first AAPI-owned brewery.Their yuzu beer is 🔥. The kimchi one? Still deciding how I feel about that combo haha.wefunder.com/dokkaebier | enjoydkb.comNectar📍Los Angeles, CASoju-based RTD cocktails in flavors like Asian pear, mandarin orange, and yuzu. Modern takes on traditional Korean drinking culture.The original Asian pear and mandarin orange flavors are elite. Their Sojuice line is next on my list. Asian fruit + soju? Sign me up.wefunder.com/drinknectar | nectardrinks.comQueens📍San Francisco, CAKorean pantry staples (gochugaru, doenjang, kimchi) made from locally sourced Napa Valley farms. Zero-waste packaging, sustainable sourcing, challenging the big Korean food conglomerates.All their farms are local to the Napa Valley area. This is what "farm-to-table" should actually mean.wefunder.com/queens | queens-universe.comSool/Makku📍New York, NYCanned makgeolli (Korean rice wine) that's sold 3.3M+ cans across 1,400 stores in 23 states. Founded by Carol Pak, Food & Wine's 2023 Drinks Innovator of the Year.I'm not usually a makgeolli person, but the canned format seems okay for people like me who've been intimidated by the traditional stuff.wefunder.com/sool | drinksool.comHana Makgeolli (Brooklyn, NY) 📍Brooklyn, NYArtisanal Korean rice wine brewed in Brooklyn using traditional methods—organic ingredients, wild fermentation, no sweeteners or stabilizers. Founded by Alice Jun.Again, not a big makgeolli fan, but I'll give it a shot when I'm in NY.wefunder.com/investinhanamakgeolli | hanamakgeolli.comSon Fish Sauce📍Monterey, CAPremium Vietnamese fish sauce made with American anchovies (from Monterey Bay), barrel-aged for one year using traditional methods. 4th generation family business founded by Danny and Albee Tran.It's still cold, it's soup season. I'll check this out for my next phở or hot pot.wefunder.com/sonfishsauce | sonfishsauce.comI've personally tried Dokkaebier and Nectar, and I'm picking up Son Fish Sauce for my Lunar New Year dinner parties. But, I'll be ordering from Queens and Sool next and making a trip to Hana Makgeolli's taproom next time I'm in New York!Disclaimer: These brands and Wefunder did not sponsor me or this post.