We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tanya Jirapol. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tanya below.

Tanya, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I was born and raised by a single mom of six children, and the kitchen was the heart of our home. My mom cooked meals for us, and my sisters and I helped her prepare dinner every night. We would sit, chat, eat, and create memories as a family every day. I’ve carried on this family tradition with my own children, making food our common ground in daily life. I truly believe that food can bring people together on many different levels. It has had a huge impact on my life, making the kitchen the center of our family—not just for eating, but for sharing, laughing, loving, and more.

When I first started “Namjai Thai,” my hope was that our sauces and seasonings would bring people closer together, just like my family. I want Namjai Thai products to help create cherished memories in kitchens everywhere. The great memories from my childhood kitchen feel like they happened just yesterday, and I hope that Namjai Thai products can play a small part in others’ lives too.

Tanya, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I ran a corporate catering business for many years, delivering lunches to tech companies around town. When COVID-19 hit, my orders dropped to zero. That’s when I started developing the recipes for each Namjai Thai product in my home kitchen. I created batch after batch until I narrowed it down to the top three recipes for each product. I then cooked and tasted them with friends and family to get honest feedback. If anyone was unsatisfied with the flavors, I would start over until I got it perfect.

I also created easy-to-follow cooking instructions. I sent products to friends and neighbors who volunteered to cook with my products and recipes without any help from me. Even those who didn’t know how to cook were able to follow the step-by-step instructions and achieve great results. I’m super proud to say that our recipes are so easy, anyone can nail them!

Namjai Thai is a woman-owned business, a small company born from my dreams and passion. The challenges we face help us grow and continue on our journey.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Five key factors have helped build Namjai Thai’s reputation:

High-Quality Products: We ensure that every product meets our high standards.
Strong Brand Identity: Our brand reflects our values and tradition.
Honesty and Transparency: We are open and honest with our customers.
Customer Loyalty: We value and nurture our relationships with customers.
Social Media Engagement: We actively engage with our community on social media.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I transitioned from catering to creating my own brand of Thai sauces and seasonings, it was during the challenging times of COVID-19. Starting a new venture during the pandemic meant facing numerous delays and obstacles. For instance, it took 4-5 months just to get labels, and sourcing jars was nearly impossible, even from out of state. The original jars were imported from China and didn’t arrive in the US on time. It felt like starting a brand-new business, learning something new every day, even though I’ve worked in the food industry for over a decade. Despite the challenges, I’m glad I made the pivot. This experience has taught me that vision without action is merely a dream. By taking action, we can turn our dreams into reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.namjaikitchen.com
• Instagram: @namjaikitchen
• Facebook: Namjai Thai

Image Credits

Photo by Gigi Jirapolchet