Our story
How did we bring restaurant quality dumplings to the comfort of your home?
Founded by Candace and Allan Tea, Cali Dumpling was created to help those in the hospitality industry get back on their feet during the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Candace and Allan have decades of restaurant experience, one of which was one of the most prominent Chinese restaurant chains in LA, SGV, OC, and Las Vegas. Their customers and communities truly enjoyed visiting their restaurants and indulging in delicious Chinese cuisine. Cali Dumpling was founded to bring those delicious restaurant-quality flavors to communities straight to their homes. Only using the best ingredients, we craft delicious dumplings in a variety of different flavors. These are the dumplings you grew up eating in your favorite restaurants and from your parents’ kitchens and we’re proud to offer them so that you can enjoy them in your home.
Our dumplings are made in a brand-new kitchen facility with dumpling chefs dedicated to crafting each and every dumpling. We pride ourselves on our quality and cleanliness and we hope you recognize that in our products as well.
Cali Dumpling in 2020. Check out our old logo!
organic DUMPLINGS
WHAT goes into our organic line?
The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic crops must be grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, or bioengineered genes (GMOs). Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and dairy products must be raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (such as the ability to graze on pasture) and fed organic feed and forage. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products.
Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally grown counterparts, and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives may find their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.
Cali Dumpling’s new Organic Line that can be found in stores at Erewhon and 99 Ranch!
What Who made us go organic?
Only a couple years later in 2022, our founder Allan and his family welcomed a new baby girl to the world, and he was excited to pass along his love for delicious dumplings. However, after thinking about the ingredients, he felt hesitant and conflicted about feeding his daughter dumplings that contained unnatural, processed ingredients that were normally found in traditional recipes. Allan then realized that there was a need for dumplings that contained only the cleanest, all-natural ingredients.
From that point on, it became Allan’s mission to craft organic, non-GMO, all-natural ingredient dumplings to share with his family and other households. This is when our Organic Dumpling Line launched in 2023. We are proud to offer a USDA-certified Organic, non-GMO, non-MSG dumpling line made in Los Angeles, California. We improved our current recipes to maintain our great taste but made with all-natural ingredients, free from antibiotics, hormones, artificial colors, and preservatives.
Candace and Allan’s daughter, River!
Our team
We are a lean, committed team consisting of avid food lovers, recipe enthusiasts and passionate creatives. Above all, we want to bring the best quality of authentic chinese dumplings right to your door. Our dumplings are conceptualized and crafted right in our central kitchen located in South El Monte. Meet our wonderful team!
Allan Tea, Co-founder & President
Candace Tea, Co-founder
Eloy Pacheco, Head Corporate Chef
Zenaida Seepe, Head of Accounting
Andrew Tea, Production Quality Assurance Manager
Kelly Tea, Director, Corporate Strategy and Business Development
Neo Toyama, Communications Manager
Tiffany Truong, Marketing Coordinator
Omar Izquierdo, HACCP & Food Safety Coordinator
Community Partners
The Cali Dumpling Team continues to support our communities in Southern California. One of our newest partnerships formed in 2023 is with the Asian Youth Center (AYC). AYC is a community-based non-profit organization whose mission is to empower low-income, immigrant, and at-risk youth, of all communities, to overcome barriers to success through the provision of culturally and linguistically competent education, employment, and social services. We are proud to regularly support local charities and non-profit organizations such as AYC, Bracken’s Kitchen, The Cambodian Kitchen, Boys and Girls Club, Ocapica, AASCSC, and Southland Integrated to further our impact in Southern California.
ASIAN YOUTH
CENTER
The Cambodian Family
Boys & Girls
Club
OCAPICA
AASCSC
Southland
Integrated