Today we’d like to introduce you to Arda Sitiprawet.
Hi Arda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Throughout my whole life, I have always had a passion for food and cooking. Being a first-generation Asian American, I have always been influenced by my family’s cooking and the flavors of my family’s country, as well as exposure to other Asian cuisines from my community. Growing up, I was always involved in the kitchen with my mother or helping out my father at his restaurant. Because of this, I developed this sense of wonder and curiosity about food and I just knew that I wanted to be involved in this world in some sort of way as an adult.
SugarCube Marshmallows started out as an idea for a couple of years when I first started learning how to make homemade marshmallows for fun to share with my friends and family. As I continued making more due to requests from friends, I started to get more creative with the flavors, especially Asian flavors that have been such a big part of my life. Looking around, I noticed that there isn’t really any other marshmallow product out there with Asian flavors that I grew up tasting. This got me thinking and eventually, I decided to take the plunge and start an official business! Marshmallows have always been that iconic treat from my childhood growing up here in America. With the combination of two flavors, two cultures, and two worlds; I believe it is a great representation of who I am and what is “Asian American”.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I believe that starting any business in any industry comes with its challenges. From navigating local laws to product testing, there is always something that a business owner will run into that ranges from a minor inconvenience to full-blown roadblocks. Starting SugarCube Marshmallows have taught me so much about being a business owner and the various obstacles that comes with it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
SugarCube Marshmallows specializes in artisanal homemade marshmallows with Asian flavors. I started the business because I wanted to bring the flavors of my community to a treat that is well known here in the United States. Being a first-born Asian American, marshmallows were that one treat from my childhood growing up in America that I have always enjoyed. However, the marshmallows that is commonly found in stores lacked the flavor representation that I know of growing up in a multicultural home and community. I created this business to let the world know that marshmallows can be more than just vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. It can also be Matcha, Black Sesame, Ube, Mango, and more!
SugarCube Marshmallows is currently an online store with limited ordering windows. Everything is made fresh in a home kitchen and can be shipped out to anywhere in California currently. New flavors are constantly being released so follow our Instagram page to keep up to date!
How do you think about luck?
Luck (both good and bad) has played a huge role in my life and my business. Before starting SugarCube Marshmallows, I had started/pursued four other businesses that had eventually failed. I wouldn’t say that they were moments of bad luck since from those businesses, I learned a lot about the process and even things about myself as a business owner. I’m grateful for those past ventures for without them, I wouldn’t have been able to build what I have today. I would say that I’ve been pretty lucky.
Contact Info:
- Website: sugarcubemarshmallows.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sugarcubemarsh
- Facebook: facebook.com/sugarcubemarsh