The Joy of Sharing: How Asian Condiments Bring People Together

There’s something quietly magical about the moment a meal hits the table. The dishes don’t have to be fancy, maybe it’s a big bowl of noodles, a platter of dumplings, or crispy fries straight from the oven. What matters most are the people gathered around and the little jars and bowls of sauces sitting in the middle.

In many Asian households, that’s how meals have always been served together. There’s no “my plate” or “your plate.” Everything is shared, and the sauces are there for everyone to dip, drizzle, or mix in their own way. It’s a kind of unspoken connection, you pass the spoon, you share the flavour, you share a moment.

How Sauces Bring Us Together

Condiments might seem like a small detail, but they often carry the biggest stories. A spicy dip can remind someone of home. A tangy mayo can spark laughter over who gets the last fry. A sauce on the table means you’re meant to linger a little longer: to eat, talk, and connect.

Even when you’re eating alone, those same flavours can bring comfort. A drizzle of Umei Yuzu Mayo on your salad or a spoonful of Gochugaru Mayo on your fries can turn an ordinary meal into a little act of joy. It’s a reminder that food doesn’t just fill you up,  it makes you feel something.

What Flavour Means to Us

At Umei, we’ve always believed flavour is a kind of connection. It’s how we share stories, cultures, and moments even across tables, cities, or generations. Our mayos were born from that idea: to take the familiar comfort of Japanese-style mayo and infuse it with flavours that tell new stories from the citrusy brightness of Yuzu to the smoky warmth of Gochugaru and the savoury calm of Seaweed.

We make things we genuinely love to eat, and we hope they bring a little of that joy into other people’s kitchens too.

Little Moments, Big Connections

Some of our favourite moments aren’t in product photos or campaigns, they're in the small stories people share with us. A family who added Umei to their sushi night. Friends who tried our mayo at a pop-up and ended up staying for hours. A home cook who said our Seaweed Mayo made them fall in love with cooking again.

It’s those little connections, the kind that happen over good food, that remind us why we do this in the first place.

Share Your Umei Moment

We’d love to see what flavour means to you. Whether it’s your Saturday brunch, your late-night snack, or your grandma’s secret recipe with a Umei twist, share it with us.

👉 Tag @umeifoods and join the conversation. Because good food isn’t meant to be kept to yourself.