Feeding the Frontline
Two weeks into lockdown, we’ve now had some time to adjust and reflect on our 'new normal'. For some of us, this time has revealed just how stretched to nearing breaking point the systems around us had been. It’s also showed us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible. In his essay “The Coronation”, the thinker and writer Charles Eisenstein asks, What else might we achieve, in coherency? What world shall we create, when we awaken to our power? Already we are seeing resources being deployed into people and movements that contribute to a more just society. It’s clear that the only way forward is to take care of one another, follow love over fear, generosity over self-preservation. “To be alone is a primal fear, and modern society has rendered us more and more alone. But every act of compassion, kindness, courage, or generosity heals us from the story of separation, because it assures both actor and witness that we are in this together”. My ask is for all of us to consider what new world we want to create, and the role each of us has in shaping it.
At Fly By Jing, we've had the extreme privilege to see a rise in sales over the last weeks. Over 90% of Americans did not cook at home before, and as we know, this has changed drastically. Hundreds of people have written to say how much our products have helped brighten their quarantine days. Samin Nosrat has called us her most-frequently used condiment, Esquire Magazine called us the best mail-order delivery food, and we were interviewed this week by the NYTimes. We’re filled with gratitude that you’ve shown up and supported small businesses like ours during this time, while painfully conscious to the plight of our fellow entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry and beyond. We’ve seen organizations like Chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen mobilize to serve 100,000 meals every day across the country, and joining forces with restaurants to feed frontline healthcare workers. The same is also happening on a grassroots level across the country, with small Asian-owned restaurants like 886, Raku and Ho Foods in NYC providing free, healthy lunches to local hospitals with the help of donors. These initiatives keep businesses running while providing essential relief through nourishing meals to those we’re relying on the most right now.
Fly By Jing is committed to donating 20% of all product sales to organizations like World Central Kitchen, America's Food Fund, Frontline Foods, Off Their Plate, Bento Essential and others over the next week. Additionally, we will be donating 40% of the value of any Gift Card purchases. So if you happen to be in a privileged position and feeling willing and able, please consider buying yourself some sauce, sending your friends a gift of sauce, or better yet, storing up credit for future sauce (this is our preferred option, see below for reason). You’ll be supporting us, a female-minority-run small business as well as getting resources to those who need it the most right now, local restaurants and frontline health workers.
To be fully transparent, we have been experiencing severe constraints with production on the ground in Sichuan for over three months now, and it is looking very likely that we will run out of inventory within the next 1-2 months. We’re doing everything we can to start production ASAP and avoid disruption, but we may run into a few weeks gap during which we’ll only be able to offer pre-orders. For now, our small team is still fulfilling orders as fast and as carefully as we can.
As always, reach out with any questions or comments at [email protected]
Be well, be kind, to yourself and others.