Marupo Eats (Formerly Marupo's Egg Tarts)
Vendor
Markets
About
Marupo Eats is an Asian Immigrant owned Specialty store focused on cultural/ethnical foods with historical links to Hong Kong.
Right now we sell the following products:
Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts
Hong Kong Style Milk Tea
Portuguese Pasteis de Natta [BEST SELLER]
Pork And Vegetarian Spring Rolls
Mango Sago Dessert
We are based in Ann Arbor and operate out of the Washtenaw Food Hub.
Primarily sell at Ann Arbor Kerrytown Farmers Market and cater orders with pop-ups at Sweetwater and local events
Programs and Partners
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
Washtenaw Food Hub. Shared Commercial Kitchen
Manager
I was born in Hong Kong and came over to the US around 2008-2009 to attend boarding school (high school). Once I arrived, I immediately got a yearning for a taste of my home cuisine. Little did young Bennett know that "Americanized" Chinese food existed"... that a fictitious man called "General Tso" dominated Chinese restaurants... and that the quest for authentic Hong Kong food would end up being a multi-year saga.
As my high school graduation approached, I chose the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, known for its food scene, and cultural diversity... and while the overall Asian food scene here is drastically better than my high school's, it was mostly Taiwanese and Northern Chinese cuisine - not quite the Hong Kong food I ate growing up. Asia is vast and different regional cuisines have different distinctions... similar to how a Texan Roadhouse and BBQ is significantly different compared to New York-style steak, so too are there clear distinctions between Taiwan/Northern Chinese cuisine with Hong Kong Cuisine.
As my frustration built up, I decided to take matters into my own hands. From "recreating" Hong Kong-style rice bowls using microwaves in dining halls, to experimenting with stove-top cooking and ovens in faculty micro-kitchens.
It was not until I moved out of the dormitories as a junior at UofM, with access to a proper kitchen that I could finally make my own Hong Kong food consistently.
In addition to making Fried Rice... Dumplings... Spring rolls... and other "meal" dishes, I enjoyed making (and eating) "Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳" style snacks. Cha Chaan Tengs, while translated as "Tea restaurants" is a very pivotal part of Hong Kong culture. They pride themselves on the eclectic and affordability of their menu items and are commonly frequented throughout the day but particularly during the morning and afternoon tea break times, a custom Hong Kong adopted from the British. I would say the closest equivalent in the US would be a casual diner focused on common folks' food. These Cha Chaan Teng, in addition to Hong Kong-style bakeries, spread across every street, were the bliss of my childhood, and I labored hard towards recreating some of the staples I enjoyed such as the cocktail buns... the pineapple buns... and of course the egg tarts.
As I eventually graduated from U of M, my career path would take me towards "normal" routes. Especially since I was an immigrant on an F1 student visa, I couldn't pick just "any" job that I fancied. I needed to find a job at a global company... a reputable one, that can sponsor my H1-B work visa... With those restrictions on me, I decided to do an internship at Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), one of the Big 4 accounting firms back in Hong Kong. ...After which I figured out that core accounting wasn't for me... but took the skills I learned there and transitioned to doing financial software consulting for big corporations (now with PwC US).
While I was working with PwC on my student visa... waiting for a CHANCE to get my H-1B (it's an annual lottery by the way for those who didn't know), my student visa eventually expired... and I was faced with deportation from the US.
I talked to many colleagues and friends, before ultimately coming across an opportunity to remain with PwC as I kept trying for the annual lottery, albeit... I would have to relocate to Paris.
My boss reassured me that all the French can speak fluent English, so, without ever studying a single word of French, I packed up all my belongings... downloaded the Duolingo app, and flew over to Paris...What my boss conveniently omitted was that... just because the French CAN speak English didn't mean they WOULD...
Yet all the struggles I faced...with cultural and language barriers with the Parisians... was made all worthwhile... when I discovered the treasures known as boulangeries (French bakeries) and pâtisseries (French pastry shops). Every morning without fail, I would go through the ritual of exchanging broken French, a few coins, and a brief miming performance for delicious freshly baked Croque madames and pain au chocolats. There was something magical about the experiences I had here that always brightened my day.
Fast forward a few years and I eventually got my H1B work visa... returning to PwC's Chicago office, before ultimately joining a bay area tech company that was willing to start the process to sponsor me for my Green Card (US Permanent Residency). It would not be until August of '21 when I finally receive my physical Green Card and am finally free from further risk of deportation.
My work in big tech always felt a bit bureaucratic... despite the company's focus on prioritizing user experience. Although I was grateful for them helping me get my green card, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was grinding hours to please executives and shareholders, rather than actually making a positive impact on my customers' lives. I had no intention to climb the corporate ladder, and these doubts continue to simmer in my mind, ...As inflation rose throughout 2022... and quite a few of my friends hopped companies or resigned... I started to question if my job was really giving me the satisfaction and fulfillment I needed to be happy.
It took me til Oct of '22 to finally make up my mind and take a risk towards doing something new (which I can now that I had a green card) - starting a company. Instead of applying to yet another big corporation (like my friends all did), I wanted to work for something that made a positive difference to my community and myself (ideally while still paying the bills). I reflected on all the struggles I had throughout my life and pinpointed the moments I had that lifted me up when I was down, and gave me the strength and motivation to push through the toughest days.
After contemplating for several weeks, I realized what it was - food.
Whether it was the Cha Chaan Tengs back in Hong Kong, the home-cooked meals I made when I was a student, or the sandwiches and pastries I ate in Paris, it was always the food, and the experiences associated with eating food, that brought joy to me and those around me. So I decided to have my company focus on exactly that - good experiences and memories through food.
But "food" is extremely vague... in fact, the food industry in the US is massive from chain restaurants to groceries to food trucks... how exactly can I differentiate myself? To really give to the community what only I, only Bennett can bring. I thought about it more... and after much delineation came up with the concept of "sharing my culture(s) through food".
My life story which brought me across the globe is a rather flavorful and inspirational one. I'm hoping through having lived in (not just vacationed in) 3 different continents, I can bring the different cuisines as well as practices and values to my community members in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti... starting with my childhood snack - the egg tart :)
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