AACE INTERVIEW: Felicity Chen of Potli
We will be celebrating the Year of the Ox this February 12th, 2021 and with that, I am honored to feature Felicity Chen of Potli. Felicity is part of an amazing food manufacturing family, headed up by her mother who has given her daughter the knowledge and skills to run her own specialized food company Potli with her partner Christine Yi.
Potli’s offerings are inspired by Felicity’s heritage and from knowing what products speaks to the larger audience, from Umami chili oil to infused honey to olive oils to Siracha flavored hot sauce and Discovery Kits that give buyers a sample of the wonderful Potli products.
This year of the OX is about being prudent, keeping your eye on the prize, and knowing that the path is not smooth but filled with many learning lessons that will bring prosperity to those who approach this year with an open heart, mind, and an eye to the future. With that Potli will succeed with the founder’s sense of purpose and foresight.
What was your first experience with Cannabis? I was a ballerina for many years, and it was my Freshman year of high school, we had a sleepover at one of the dancer's houses. Some boys dropped the weed off and we tried to make pieces out of a coke can and an apple.
Your family has been in the food industry for at least one generation (3 generations), how has that influenced your selection of products? Definitely. My grandfather left China during the war and washed dishes for restaurants before learning from the chefs how to make sauces and spices in the traditional way. The way we make Sesame Oil and Sesame Paste are still using the most traditional methods. When my grandfather made his way over to the states to bring these traditional flavors, he ate Burger King for two years straight to make ends meet. My mother has the same kind of work ethic that my grandfather does. As a woman, she's operating the warehouse and keeping the systems completely and totally organized. And naturally, I grew up eating all sorts of Chinese cuisines right in the bay area: Shanghainese, Tawainese, Canton, Hong Kong-style, Dim Sum, Dong Bei, Szechuan. I'm not even naming them all. What it taught me is that food is always essential. As humans, we have to eat so there is always business to be made when you are in the food world. I combined my two passions, the love of food and the creativity of cannabis together to bring the world Potli.
Tell us how your mother influenced you and what was the best bit of advice did she give you? If you ever have the wonderful opportunity of meeting my mother, you'll probably feel the warmth and kindness she emulates. Everyone that meets her tells me she is the nicest person ever, and it's true. When I told her that I was building Potli, she insisted that I promise her that I was going to help people and not hurt people. And when I told her that by building Potli, we are trying to make people feel better with the foods they eat, a lightbulb turned on for her.
Your recipes for your products are very familiar to Asians, how do you explain them to non-Asians? I would just say to try it. If you like it you like it. If you don't no worries, more for me!
How has adding cannabis changed the flavor of your products? Potli only uses single strain full-spectrum oils, so the flavor of cannabis has absolutely enhanced the flavor of our products! It makes it taste even better :).
I would love to see an entire Dim Sum menu with your products, have you ever created an entire meal with your products? And what were those dishes?
Last year for LNY @BigBadWolf created an entire multi-course dinner with Potli's ingredients. We of course had dumplings for good fortune, and my favorite egg souffle with Potli Chili Oil. @Sousweed has also created some also delicious recipes like this Asian Fennel Pear Salad, Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein, and Butternut Squash Croquettes. Monica Lo is also the mastermind behind Potli's logo, packaging, and branding look and feel :).
Links:
Lessons Learned From My Mother
Felicity Chen Linkedin
