Episode 31

Vincent Kitirattragarn ·  Creating Dang, the First Asian-American Snack Brand

“We always put Dang front and center on our package because it's a word that means something in a lot of different languages, but especially in English and Thai. In Thai it means bread, also a name, my mom's name—and then in the US it's a euphemism for damn, right? People say, "Dang!“ when they taste something good or something happens or they stubbed their toe. It's just an easy word and it's very short and it's one syllable, which is beautiful.”

Vincent Kitirattragarn is the founder of Dang Foods, the first and only Asian-American snack company. He is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and has won multiple SOFI awards for “Best Snack”. He started the company in 2012 after he told his Thai-Chinese mother about his popup restaurant, and she gave him a recipe for Miang Kum, a Northern Thai dish that requires toasted coconut. Vincent made the dish, tasted the toasted coconut, and then immediately called his family to find more because it tasted so dang good. He then formed a company and named it Dang, after his mother.

 

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