FOOD VENDORS

Vendor Eligibility Requirement:


This festival is dedicated to uplifting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. To be eligible as a vendor, the business must be owned or co-owned by an individual who is Asian American or Pacific Islander, or sell items directly rooted in AAPI culture.

Are you ready to share your culture, your food, your family with the community, have tons of fun, AND make money doing so??

In 2023, one of our food vendors made close to $20,000 in less than 6 hours!!

We would LOVE to have the previous years food vendors join us again, and also bring in some fresh faces too!!

The whole purpose of this event is to showcase and serve foods, and share the culture from Asians and Pacific Islanders to the community, and ultimately, to the World!!

Last year around 6,000 people; men, women, and kids, showed up to our 4th annual Taste of AAPI Food Festival in the West Bottoms in Kansas City.

The weather was perfect; around 70 degrees, sunny and no wind.

Past Food Vendors

  • Laos House (Laos)

  • Sarinade (Cambodian)

  • Lola's Lumpia (Filipino)

  • Xhale Staging (Hmong)

  • Nang Nang (Thai)

  • Trou Taste (Cambodian)

  • Taste of Aloha (Hawaii)

  • PWA Islander Foods (Samoa)

  • GoChew Korean Food Truck

  • Islander Outlook (Palau)

  • Mochini (Hmong)

  • Irvzilla's Hawaiian Grill (Hawaii)

We are on year number 5 of doing this awesome food festival, and it's grown from around 750 attendees, to over 6,000, and we're expecting much more this year.

This year, we're marketing it more and people already know about the event, PLUS it's on Saturday May 2nd, which is the first Saturday of the month, which means that people will be heading down to the West Bottoms to shop and dine on First Friday weekend!!

If you're interested in becoming part of something fresh and still in it's infancy stage, and want to be part of something Bigger and Better... to be part of sharing your culture and your foods, we'd love to have you join us this year!!

We are only accepting a maximum of 2 food vendors of the same countries/ethnic groups (examples: 2 Cambodian groups, 2 Filipino groups, 2 Japanese, etc, etc...) so first come, first gets in.

I can write on and on, but most of the fine details about Temporary food permits and and Health inspection and such, are all on a separate PDF which I will send to everyone once you will fill out the form on the Teal Colored link below.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why is Taste of AAPI limited to AAPI vendors?

Taste of AAPI was created to intentionally spotlight Asian-American & Pacific Islander food, culture, and businesses. There are very few large-scale platforms dedicated specifically to AAPI communities - this festival exists to fill that gap.

This is a culturally-centered event by design.

What does "AAPI vendor" mean?

Vendors must:

* Be Asian American or Pacific Islander–owned
OR

* Sell products that are directly rooted in AAPI culture (food, art, fashion, etc.)

If your business does not fall into one of those categories, this specific event will not be the right fit.

Isn't that exclusionary?

No. This is cultural preservation and intentional representation.

There are hundreds of general food festivals open to everyone. Taste of AAPI is one of the few that exists specifically to uplift AAPI entrepreneurs and traditions.

We believe every community deserves dedicated spaces.

Can non-AAPI businesses participate in any way?

Yes!! In other ways:

* Community Ally Sponsorships

* Community Partnerships

* Volunteering

* Supporting vendors through collaboration

If you'd like to support the mission, we welcome that conversation.

Will you ever host non-AAPI events?

Possibly. We are always exploring future collaborations and expansions. If you'd like to stay connected for other opportunities, we're happy to keep your information on file.

Why are you so strict about this?

Because authenticity is the heart of the festival.

When people attend Taste of AAPI, they know they are experiencing something real, intentional, and culturally grounded. That clarity is what has allowed this event to grow every year.

** CLICK BELOW TO APPLY **

ONE LOVE. ONE FAMILY. UNITED. - Copyright 2024 © All Rights Reserved

Photos by Focal Flame Photography. Entering this event constitutes implied consent of each event-goer to Taste of AAPI's use of his/her image and/or likeness incidental to any photographic, digital or video use, publication, display, transmission or recording of the event. No unauthorized vendors, solicitations, handbills, sampling, giveaways, etc. Alcoholic beverages may not be taken in or out of entrances. Taste of AAPI reserves the right to deny entry or remove anyone from the event in violation of these policies.

Contact: [email protected]