Mei Mei Dumplings

What Mei Mei Dumplings does

Mei Mei Dumplings is a Boston-based artisanal food company that produces, distributes, and teaches the craft of handmade Chinese-American dumplings using predominantly Northeast-sourced ingredients (70% of inputs). Founded in 2012 by chef Irene Li and her two older siblings, the company operates a single Dumpling Factory, Cafe & Classroom at Iron Works in South Boston (58 Old Colony Ave), where it produces its core product line of frozen dumplings in flavors such as Lemongrass Pork, Ginger Chicken, Cheddar Scallion Potato, and Five Spice Tofu. Distribution is multi-channel: a Factory Store for grab-and-go and retail, presence at farmers' markets across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a Toasttab-powered online ordering channel for pickup, a wholesale program for foodservice partners, and a catering business for events and weddings. The company also sells a line of New England-inspired pantry sauces and operates public and private dumpling-making classes both in-person at the South Boston facility and virtually worldwide, claiming over 5,000 students taught. Mei Mei has no external institutional funding on record and is privately held by the Li siblings, with Irene Li as primary operator joined by co-owners/managing partners Alyssa Lee and Annie Campbell (both Babson MBA graduates) since 2020; the company has invested in equipment (the 'Hal' dumpling-making machine, community-funded in 2021) and is recognized through a 2022 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award awarded to Irene Li.

Name

Mei Mei Dumplings

Legal name

Mei Mei

Website

https://meimeidumplings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mei Mei Dumplings is a Boston-based artisanal dumpling maker operating a factory, cafe, and classroom in South Boston. It sells farm-focused frozen dumplings through farmers' markets, wholesale, retail, and cooking classes across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen prepared meals & entrées manufacturing (AFAKAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ethnic & international prepared meals manufacturing (AFAKAHAG)

Keywords

• Artisan frozen dumplings
• Farm-focused Chinese food
• Dumpling making classes
• Frozen food wholesale
• Culinary catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dumpling Sales: Retail and wholesale dumpling sales through Factory Store, farmers' markets, and food service locations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Products include various dumpling flavors such as Lemongrass Pork, Ginger Chicken, Cheddar Scallion Potato, and Five Spice Tofu.
2. Cooking Classes: Public and private dumpling making classes offered in-person at South Boston location and virtually worldwide. Includes corporate and group bookings.
3. Catering: Catering services for events, private parties, and corporate functions featuring dumpling-based menus.
4. Cafe & Grab & Go: Grab & Go dumplings, salads, Double Awesome kits, and other snacks available at the Factory Store. Cafe served beloved dishes until transition to grab-and-go model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mei Mei Dumplings produces and sells artisan, farm-focused frozen Chinese-American dumplings in flavors such as Lemongrass Pork, Ginger Chicken, Cheddar Scallion Potato, and Five Spice Tofu, with 70% of ingredients sourced from Northeast farms. The company operates a Dumpling Factory, Cafe & Classroom in South Boston, offers in-person and virtual cooking classes, provides catering for events, and distributes wholesale to foodservice partners.

Product overview

Mei Mei Dumplings is a Boston-based food company operating as a Dumpling Factory, Cafe, and Classroom. The core offerings include artisan frozen dumplings in multiple signature flavors made with 70% locally-sourced Northeast ingredients, along with in-person and virtual dumpling-making classes. The company operates a Factory Store in South Boston for grab-and-go items, offers catering services for events and weddings, and runs a wholesale program for retail distribution. A line of pantry sauces (Smoked Maple Ginger, Cranberry Sweet & Sour, Apple Hoisin) complements the product portfolio. All offerings are unified by the company's focus on farm-focused, ethically-sourced ingredients and Chinese-American cuisine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frozen Dumplings Artisan frozen Chinese-American dumplings made with 70% Northeast-sourced ingredients, available in multiple signature flavors, sold at the Factory Store, farmers' markets across MA and RI, and through wholesale foodservice partners. Targeted at home consumers seeking high-quality, locally-sourced frozen meals.
• Dumpling Making Classes In-person and virtual dumpling-making classes taught at the Dumpling Factory in South Boston and via Zoom/Eventbrite worldwide. Over 5,000 students instructed since launch. Virtual classes priced at $33 per ticket; in-person at $45 per ticket; private/corporate pricing via inquiry.
• Factory Store & Cafe Grab-and-go dumplings, salads, Double Awesome kits, and snacks available at the Dumpling Factory at 58 Old Colony Ave, South Boston. Cafe Summer Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 11am-4pm, Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday 12-6pm.
• Catering Services Catering for corporate events, weddings, and private parties featuring dumpling-based menus and the signature Double Awesome sandwich. Pricing available via inquiry.
• Wholesale Program Wholesale distribution of frozen dumplings to retail partners including restaurants and specialty food stores across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
• Pantry Sauces Line of pantry sauces including Smoked Maple Ginger Sauce, Cranberry Sweet & Sour Sauce, and Apple Hoisin, made with local New England ingredients. Available in 3-packs online or at retail locations including Eataly Boston.
• Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable for dumpling purchases at markets and virtual cooking classes, available for purchase on the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5000+ students taught dumpling making in-person and virtually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Food ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with The Food Project for food justice and food security initiatives. The Food Project is a nonprofit focused on sustainable agriculture and youth development in the Boston area.
• Haley HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Haley House, a nonprofit organization in Boston working on food security and community support.
• Project BreadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Project Bread, an organization working to prevent and end hunger in Massachusetts. Irene Li serves on the board of Project Bread.
• Rethink RestaurantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with Rethink Restaurants to implement open-book management and profit sharing program at Mei Mei to improve the business while providing team members with valuable hospitality skills and financial know-how.
• Visible HandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrene Li joined Visible Hands' inaugural cohort of underrepresented tech founders in late 2021. Visible Hands is a venture capital firm supporting underrepresented founders.
• Baraka WellnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner for Mother's Day dumpling class event. Raised $800 for Baraka Wellness Healthy Moms, Healthy Kids program which focuses on fitness, nutrition, and social support for at-risk young mothers and children.
• NuMarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNuMarket platform used for community fundraising and investment opportunities. Mei Mei raised funds through NuMarket for the Dumpling Factory opening.
• Local New England FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with local New England farms and producers to source seasonal, ethical ingredients. 70% of ingredients sourced from the Northeast.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bibigo: CJ CheilJedang's globally distributed Asian frozen food brand offering dumplings, mandu, and similar products. Comparable in core product category and channel strategy but operating at massive scale with broad retail penetration.
• Wow Bao: Asian-inspired steamed bun and dumpling brand with both retail frozen products and foodservice distribution. Comparable product portfolio and channel strategy with significantly larger scale.
• Momofuku Goods: David Chang's retail food brand offering sauces, noodles, and frozen items including dumplings. Comparable as a chef-driven Asian-American food brand that has successfully scaled into national retail CPG.
• Nom Wah: Iconic NYC dim sum/dumpling brand with both restaurant operations and growing retail presence. Comparable brand-building approach in the Chinese-American food category, though much larger scale.
• Din Tai Fung: Global dumpling and dim sum chain with extensive restaurant footprint and growing frozen retail presence. Comparable as the dominant brand in the dumpling category, though operating at vastly larger scale and primarily as a restaurant brand.

Others

• Whole Foods Market: Key retail channel partner for premium artisan frozen brands. Not a direct competitor but a critical distribution channel that any peer of Mei Mei must secure to scale nationally.

Direct peers

• The Dumpling Shop: Small-batch artisan dumpling maker with similar emphasis on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and restaurant-to-retail business model. Closely comparable in scale and product positioning.
• Mimi Cheng's Dumplings: NYC-based artisan dumpling company founded by siblings with a similar small-batch, locally-sourced Chinese-American dumpling concept. Directly comparable in product, customer base, and founder-led premium positioning.

Emerging players

• Bumplings: UK-based artisan frozen dumpling brand with similar small-batch, ethically-sourced positioning. Comparable as an emerging direct-to-consumer frozen dumpling brand seeking to scale via specialty retail.
• Junzi Kitchen: Chinese fast-casual restaurant brand with growing retail product line. Comparable in its modernized Chinese-American positioning and founder-driven brand building, though primarily restaurant rather than frozen retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meimeiboston
• Facebookfacebook.com/meimeiboston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meimeidumplings
• Instagraminstagram.com/meimeiboston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mei Mei Dumplings