Imagine a childhood filled with the rich, umami flavors of Korean seaweed, transformed into a modern, irresistible snack. Driven by a desire to share an authentic taste of her heritage with a healthy twist, Candice crafted GEEM: a crunchy, nutrient-packed seaweed chip made with non-GMO rice crisps and sesame seeds. Redefine your snacking experience with three fab flavors: Just Savory, Just Spicy, or Just Sweet.
Recently, we caught up with Candice to learn more about her journey and hear her advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
1. Why did you start GEEM?
GEEM has been such a deeply personal journey for me as a Midwest Asian—we tend to go through a bit more trauma than California Asians (haha) I was terrified of bringing my favorite seaweed snacks to the school cafeteria. However, the world needs seaweed now more than ever, both for its climate properties and nutrient density. Seaweed is one of the only truly regenerative crops, and many people don’t realize it’s a (sea) vegetable.
Seaweed is a little bit weird, I’m a little bit weird, but that’s okay. GEEM combines two worlds: the traditional Eastern superfood that is seaweed, and the crunchiness that Americans love. Baked with rice crisps and sesame seeds, GEEM Korean Seaweed Chips are unlike any seaweed chip you’ve had before!
2. What obstacles did you face along the way?
Even though we have come a long way as a society in accepting seaweed, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Western big agriculture has spent centuries lobbying for spinach and other vegetables over seaweed. For example, seaweed has the same amount of heavy metals as any other leafy green, but it’s uniquely required under California Prop 65 to call them out. I’ve also been disappointed in the regenerative movement, which solely focuses on certifying land-based crops. How can you label corn as regenerative but not seaweed?
Also, just manufacturing and scaling these seaweed chips has been hard! Lots of co-manufacturers don’t want to touch seaweed, as it’s exotic to them. I’ve been laughed out of literally 100+ conversations and told to come back when I make a kale chip or cookie. It’s been an uphill battle, but it’s all worth it!
3. What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
If you’re a woman, minority, or anyone who identifies as different, you’re probably like me—you take the losses a lot harder than you enjoy the wins. It’s so intimidating to think about how long the road to “success” is in entrepreneurship. It really feels like a giant mountain sometimes that you’re standing at the feet of. However, mountains can only be climbed with one foot in front of the other. And you MUST look back and see how far you’ve come. There’s always more mountain to go, but we should be proud of what we’ve climbed.
4. What’s on the horizon for GEEM?
We’ve got some cool things going on. I want to do more community stuff, but lately, it’s been business business business. If you have any cool collab ideas, please reach out!
5. How do you keep work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
My family, including my fluffy dog, grounds me. Unconditional love from your dog is just the best. No matter how life goes, they just want to be with you. They remind you that you are more than your company!
Candice created GEEM with a goal to embrace her Korean heritage while introducing the world to the versatility of seaweed snacks. These nutrient-dense chips are an ample source of minerals and vitamins, and since seaweed is inherently regenerative, they’re just as healthy for the planet as they are for people. Made with non-GMO rice crisps and sesame seeds for an added crunch, GEEM is available in three flavors: Just Savory, Just Spicy, or Just Sweet!