NYC's Mercantile Mayhem: Fermenting with Noma Projects, Chai Time, Fed Up Street Vendors, The Foxtrot Disaster and Jane's Walk Redux

A newsletter about the survival of independent businesses in New York City, with a special focus on immigrant-owned, storefront retail and CPG enterprises.

Noma Projects in New York City

Last week I was able to sample a few appetizers using concoctions made by Noma Projects—yes, that Noma, from Copenhagen, Denmark—at Pop Up Grocer. Noma Projects is the test kitchen of Noma that launched in 2022, now producing all sorts of bottled reductions, sauces, vinegars and garums (I had to look up garum) available for purchase.

Plenty of fermenting, soaking and brining along with delicious snacks provided by Noma Projects at Pop Up Grocer; center is founder Emily Schildt and event attendee.

My favorite was the Extra Spicy Corn Yuzu Hot Sauce because I have a freakishly high tolerance for spicy food. Creative Director Thomas Frebel thought the their hot sauce might be considered mild here in the US with our multitudes of Scoville hunting fiends, but it does indeed have a kick.

Pop Up Grocer was decorated with all sorts of glass jars filled with gorgeous liquids in bright magentas or greens, and floating bits of turnips, shallots, fennel or oyster mushrooms. Noma Projects’s other bottled offerings include Mushroom Garum made with a mix of ingredients including rice koji (had to look this up too, it’s basically fermented rice by way of a mold that releases enzymes) adding serious pizzazz to soups and sauces and Dashi RDX, a savory syrupy reduction of oceany umami fishness.

It’s Chai Time!

More chai products are being launched for mainstream consumers by those who grew up drinking it here in the US, India or elsewhere. The chai that’s served in places like Starbucks is sickeningly sweet, not only do I get a headache about halfway through a cup, but I also get one just thinking about it. But entrepreneur Anjali Bhargava, founder of Anjali’s Cup has been instrumental in changing the mainstream chai landscape.

Bhargava selling her Anjali’s Cup chai masala and various turmeric drinks and elixirs at trade shows and events around New York City.

Bhargava, based in New York City, makes her masala chai and various turmeric drinks, selling direct to consumers and at retail stores like Whole Foods. I have tasted all her offerings at all the events pictured above and they are outstanding! (And yes, I’m the one who suggests product placement, I mean, that’s the reason we’re all there.)

Bhargava recently launched her own chai concentrate specifically made for cafes. This means that if you go to Cafe Grumpy or Joe Coffee and ask for an Anjali’s Cup chai, you will have a delightful chai sipping experience.

Let Them Vend

Last Thursday, April 18, street vendors marched up lower Broadway. First, they stopped at the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to ostensibly obtain more street vending licenses as New York City Council Member Francisco Moya had suggested during an interview several days earlier. There are caps set on street vending licenses—a known fact to every street vendor—and if obtaining a street vending license was as easy as Councilman Moya suggested, every would-be vendor would have one.

Predictably, the DCWP told vendors that their department can only follow the rules set by the City Council; only the City Council has to power to lift caps on street vending licenses. So on to City Hall they marched.

Street vendors walking up lower Broadway.

Street vendors are some of New York City’s tiniest businesses, many are immigrants and support their families through street vending. Just like all entrepreneurs, they like being their own boss and work extraordinarily hard.

The cap on street vending licenses has been a long running feud between would-be and active street vendors and some City Council Members and their constituents. There are currently 5,100 licenses available for food vendors and 853 licenses for merchandise vendors. This cap of 853 has remained unchanged since 1979 and there are nearly 12,000 people on the waiting list.

Two street vendors with posters, the one on the right depicts Councilman Moya as Pinocchio, a liar and saying, “Vayan sí hay licencias”, something like “Come on, there are licenses” in English.

This outdated system has given rise to a robust license black market and/or vendors selling without a license. Periodic crackdowns on unlicensed street vendors made by the NYPD result in venders’ goods being confiscated or destroyed and fines issued. I witnessed an NYPD sweep on 34th Street several years ago, mango sellers were fined, their mangos destroyed (what a waste of precious food) and equipment confiscated.

The nonprofit Street Vender Project organized the recent march up Broadway to City Hall. What always strikes me at the various protests or marches I’ve attended is how badly street vendors want to work. They are not looking for special treatment, or a break, they simply want to support their family legally.

Council Members Pierina Sanchez and Amanda Farías, both from the Bronx, spoke with vendors and the press outside City Hall.

Perhaps the New Yorkers so opposed to street vending, with or without licenses, would prefer only Sweetgreens and Chipotles line our city streets. I can’t think of anything more boring, I love the individuality of each vendor. There is a cluster of vendors on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, some play music, others have a recording of “Water, one dollar!” playing on a loop, many sell touristy memorabilia like t-shirts and keychains. It’s lively and yes, slightly chaotic, but that’s New York City!

To be fair, there are people, not just the proverbial Karens, who oppose an abundance street venders for understandable reasons. Independent brick and mortar businesses paying high rents often think it’s unfair if vendor sells similar goods nearby. Those who use a wheelchair or walker can find the sometimes crowded sidewalks difficult to navigate. I think street vendors would be more than delighted to comply with any of these requests if they were to get a street vending license. Please read Haidee Chu’s excellent article about the April 18 march in The City.

Disaster at Foxtrot

Foxtrot was a chain of 33 stores located in cities like Austin, Chicago and Washington DC, until Tuesday, April 23 when they abruptly shuttered. Foxtrot featured many emerging brands like Omsom, Nemi Snacks, Mama Teav’s and Kola Goodies, to name a few. Perhaps retail business owners and investors alike need to rethink, “Go big or go home.” Sometimes small is beautiful.

This complete, total disaster, which has left vendors and employees in the dark. It’s likely due to a recent merger that created Outfox Hospitality and rapid expansion, leading to the company to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Is it any surprise that private equity is part of this atrocious story? According to Shayna Harris in Forbes, Foxtrot had raised $194 million. Will any of the $194 million go towards paying the purchase orders of small businesses that haven’t been paid yet, or severance for employees? If not, they can officially be renamed Foxrot.

The CPG (consumer packaged goods) industry exploded during the pandemic, as many restaurants and cafes turned to alternative forms of income, like jarring a special condiment or sauce. Consumers bought these products for home cooking. Kerry Diamond, founder and editor of Cherry Bombe asked on her Instagram, “Have we hit peak CPG? Has the bubble burst?” I certainly hope not, perhaps it’s more about hitting peak rapid expansion.

There is Still Time for Jane’s Walk 2024: May 3 - 5

There’s still time to sign up for Jane’s Walk, named after urbanist Jane Jacobs! On May 3 to 5, volunteers will lead nearly 200 tours across the five boroughs. I posted about this last week, but just a few more gems, all free, organized by The Municipal Art Society of New York.

Asad Dandia and Molly Crabapple at the Center for Brooklyn History.

Remembering Little Syria: The First Arab Americans, Malcolm X’s Harlem: Walking the Autobiography and From Mecca to Manhattan: An Intro to Muslim New York (which is full, maybe check back for cancellations) are a few of the walks led by Asad Dandia. Dandia will soon launch his touring company New York Narratives and as you can see in the photo of Dandia interviewing Molly Crabapple, he always keeps the conversation lively.

Other walks given include The East Village and The Immigrant Experience, Flushing: Its People and Immigrant History, Discovering Chinatown: A Herbalist’s Guide to Cultural Treasures and Remembering Fulton Fish Market.

Ronnie Breyer with a fish in the last few days of the Fulton Fish Market before it closed in 2004, I interviewed workers for the New York Times.

This newsletter is sponsored by Accompany Capital (many thanks Accompany Capital!) an organization that has been investing in New York City’s immigrant and refugee businesses since 1997.

Opportunities

1. The Biomimicry Institute’s Ray of Hope Accelerator program focuses on nature-inspired startups. The six month program is geared to help startups with solutions for environmental and social challenges. Applications are open until May 3.

2. Food and agriculture startups anywhere in the world can compete in the Grown-NY startup competition. Three million dollars in prize money is awarded to seven winners, the first winner is awarded $1 million of it. Applications close May 15, 2024. There are restrictions and winners will have to have its primary headquarters in the Grow-NY Region, which is Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier.

3. Climatetech startups can apply for the The Urban Future Prize Competition until May 1. Two prizes of $50K each will be awarded, winners will also be given access to the ACRE Incubator at the Urban Future Lab.

Sponsorship

I plan on keeping this newsletter free by getting additional sponsorship from organizations, I will keep you posted. Some of you have paid for subscriptions, thaaaaaaank you so much! (If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact me: ninarobertsnyc@gmail.com). Please feel free to forward to others.