LOS ANGELES — Chinese food brand Fly By Jing has raised $12 million in Series B funding to support expanded retail distribution. The maker of Sichuan chili crisp is set to launch in Kroger, Albertsons and other national grocery stores, in addition to existing retail accounts including Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, Target and Costco.
Founded in 2018, Fly By Jing is a line of pantry staples and frozen appetizers inspired by the flavors of founder Jing Gao’s hometown Chengdu and its restaurants. The company recently added two industry veterans to its leadership team. Matt Dunaj, formerly of Follow Your Heart, is chief financial officer and chief operating officer, and Jason Parasco, previously with Sovos Brands, is chief commercial officer.
Existing investor Prelude Growth Partners led the round with strategic investment and advisory platform Pendulum.
“I’m so proud of the Fly By Jing team and how far we’ve come in four short years to transform the ‘ethnic aisle’ of the grocery store into a destination of bold, global flavors and innovation,” Ms. Gao said. “In the continued, unwavering support from the woman-led team at Prelude Growth Partners, combined with Pendulum’s dedication to underrepresented founders of color, Fly By Jing has the kind of guidance and stewardship that will truly make it a household name. We look forward to partnering with our retailers to make our flavors accessible to even more people and to further our mission to evolve culture through taste.”
Neda Daneshzadeh, co-founder and managing partner of New York-based Prelude Growth Partners, described Fly By Jing as “one of the most disruptive condiment brands in America.”
“The brand has become a cult favorite by bringing authentic, bold flavors to the category, and we are excited to further support investment in the company’s retail expansion and product innovation strategy,” Ms. Daneshzadeh said.Enjoying this content? Learn about more disruptive startups on the Food Entrepreneur page.
