The Shops That Keep Us Connected to Home
Some shops are just shops.
You walk in, pick up what you need, pay at the till and leave without thinking twice about it.
But there are other places that feel different the moment you step inside. Places that hold memories, flavours and small pieces of home.
For many people in the East and Southeast Asian diaspora, those places are Asian supermarkets.
They are where you find the ingredients that make the dishes you grew up with possible again. The sauces that taste exactly how they should. The snacks you didn’t realise you missed until you saw them on the shelf.
They are also places where the distance between here and home feels just a little smaller.
For Hannah-Natalie Hosanee, co-founder of Little Yellow Rice Co., one of those places is Hang Won Hong in Manchester.
She captured that feeling perfectly in a letter reflecting on what the shop means to her.
A Letter to Hang Won Hong
Dear Hang Won Hong,
Walking your aisles always feels different to my usual weekly shop.
Stepping inside your shop feels like visiting a friend’s home — comforting and inviting. It has become a ritual and never feels like a quick errand. I often come without a shopping list, looking for inspiration.
I move slowly through the aisles, fluorescent lights bouncing off shelves packed with jars, sauces, vegetables and noodles. You’re busy and a little chaotic, which takes me straight back to childhood memories in Malaysia.
The way you’re organised by region matters when you cook the way I do. I can walk straight in, head for the Malaysian section and know I’ll find exactly what I need. When a dish depends on a specific paste, sauce and seasoning, that clarity makes all the difference.
You easily have the best Malaysian selection in Manchester.
Your instant noodle selection never disappoints, and neither do the drinks - from OldTown white coffee to instant milk teas and make-your-own boba kits.
Then there are the snacks: crisps, chocolates and chewy sweets galore, those everyday joys I’d forgotten I missed.
Most importantly, thank you for always having the Malaysian Maggi garlic chilli sauce I can’t live without.
You’re more than a supermarket. You reconnect me to my roots and make Manchester feel a little more like home, no matter how far I am from my family.
With love and appreciation,
Hannah-Natalie Hosanee
Why These Spaces Matter
If you grew up in an ESEA household - or spent time learning to cook the food of your childhood - this feeling will be familiar.
The first time you find the exact chilli paste your family uses.
The satisfaction of spotting a brand you recognise instantly.
The quiet joy of knowing tonight’s meal will taste exactly the way it should.
Shops like Hang Won Hong are more than places to buy ingredients. They are cultural anchors.
For decades, Asian supermarkets across the UK have helped communities stay connected to their food, traditions and everyday rituals. They allow families to cook dishes the way they were meant to be cooked, not with substitutes or compromises.
They also introduce new audiences to the diversity of Asian cuisines - from Malaysian and Thai cooking to Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese regional dishes.
In many cities, these shops quietly hold together entire food cultures.
The Next Generation of ESEA Businesses
What’s changing now is how those food cultures are evolving.
A new generation of founders is building businesses inspired by their heritage - sauces, condiments, food products, supper clubs and creative brands that bring traditional flavours into modern kitchens.
Little Yellow Rice Co. is one example. The brand celebrates Peranakan cuisine and Malaysian heritage through food experiences and products inspired by family recipes and Southeast Asian traditions.
These kinds of businesses represent something exciting: the continuation of culture through entrepreneurship.
They take the flavours and stories people grew up with and share them with wider audiences across the UK.
Why We Tell Stories Like This
At ESEA Marketplace, we believe the businesses behind ESEA culture deserve to be visible.
For years, Asian supermarkets have quietly supported communities by providing access to ingredients and familiar foods.
Now, a growing number of ESEA entrepreneurs are creating their own brands - building food companies, creative studios and service businesses that reflect the richness of their heritage.
Our role is to help people discover them.
Through the marketplace, you can explore:
• ESEA-owned products and food brands
• Independent makers and cultural businesses
• Services built by ESEA founders across the UK
Each business represents a story, a culture and a perspective worth sharing.
From Aisles to Online Discovery
The experience Hannah describes - walking the aisles of a supermarket looking for inspiration - is something many people recognise.
But today, discovery happens in new ways as well.
Online platforms can connect people to businesses they might never encounter otherwise. They allow small brands to reach new audiences while still remaining rooted in culture and community.
ESEA Marketplace exists to extend that discovery. To help more people find the businesses, products and founders shaping ESEA Britain today.
Because whether it’s a neighbourhood supermarket or a small independent food brand, the businesses behind our culture deserve to be seen.
And sometimes, all it takes is a familiar jar on a shelf to remind us why they matter.
Discover ESEA Makers and Businesses
Explore independent ESEA-owned businesses across the UK.
→ Discover makers and brands
→ Explore ESEA products
→ Find ESEA-owned services
Every discovery supports an independent business and strengthens the community.