HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / July 18, 2025 / The North American Asian Food & Hospitality Industry Association (NAAFIA), in collaboration with MenuSifu, is excited to host the 7th edition of the Taste of Asia (TOA) Summit in Katy, Texas. It will bring together the brightest minds in the Asian food and hospitality industry for a high-impact day of insights, networking, and opportunity. As part of TOA's nationwide tour, the Houston stop will center on scalable expansion, investment trends, and hands-on strategies tailored to the North American market.
With more than 200 attendees expected from restaurant founders, investors, supply chain experts, and marketing leaders, the event will feature keynote speeches, case studies, a curated brand expo, and an exclusive VIP dinner, offering a 360-degree view of what's shaping the future of Asian food businesses in the U.S.
An exciting lineup of industry trailblazers will take the stage in Houston, offering fresh insights into restaurant tech, financing, brand development, and expansion strategies. Leo Li, Co-founder and COO of MenuSifu, will share insights from powering over 15,000 restaurants nationwide, offering strategies for building efficient, tech-forward restaurant operations. Austin Zhao, former President of the Houston Asian Chamber of Commerce and a seasoned M&A advisor, will break down practical strategies around valuation, acquisition, and successful business exits. Jessie Zhang, a senior executive at Bank of America, will provide guidance on financing pathways tailored to food and beverage entrepreneurs seeking capital for growth.
The summit will also spotlight innovative business models and brand case studies. Josie Lin, Founder of AMA Group, will explore how shared economy models like co-cooking spaces are shaping the next generation of culinary entrepreneurship. Cosmo Hu, Founder of TOA, will present an in-depth look at the investment landscape in Asian food and beverage across the U.S., with insights on how brands can scale while mitigating risk. Branding specialists Henry Xiao, Tom Chen, and Curtis Li will analyze real-world positioning and marketing strategies from high-growth brands such as Molly Tea and CHAGEE. Capital strategy experts Evan Fu, Harris Hua, and Beichen Hu will unveil how emerging brands can accelerate capitalization during early-stage expansion. Rounding out the program, Wenbing Huang, Howard Cai, and Amy Duan will share success stories of Asian food and beverage brands that have expanded from Texas into national markets, offering valuable lessons in scaling operations across geographies.
（The 2025 Taste of Asia B2B summit was successfully hosted in Chicago)
The afternoon summit will kick off at 12:30 PM with a "Meet the Brands" exhibition, where attendees can engage directly with founders and brand representatives to explore products and partnership opportunities. At 1:00 PM, Cosmo Hu, Founder & CEO of Taste of Asia, will open the speaker sessions with a keynote titled "Texas: Is It Really Worth Your Bet?", setting the stage for deeper exploration into market opportunities. Amy Duan, Founder of CHIHUO, will follow with the official release of the 2025 North America Asian F&B Trend Report. Industry leaders like Leo Li of MenuSifu and Sean Hua of Botrista will share practical insights on leveraging data and automation to streamline restaurant operations. Bo Li from Workstream will discuss digital workforce management, while a mid-event giveaway segment will engage the crowd at 1:55 PM.
（The 2025 Taste of Asia B2B summit was successfully hosted in Chicago)
The second half of the program will dive into branding, marketing, financing, and expansion strategies. Speakers including Curtis Li, Tom Chen, and Henry Xiao will examine how small eateries can evolve into premium flagships, and how visual insights drive local marketing. Wenbing Huang, Howard Cai, and Amy Duan will share lessons from scaling Texas-based restaurants to national operations. From capital access to valuation, experts such as Evan Fu, Harris Hua, and Jessie Zhang (Bank of America) will provide deep dives into smart funding strategies and scalable business models. The day will close with a session titled "Tomorrow's Entrepreneurs," led by Josie Lin and Cosmo Hu, spotlighting the next generation of Asian food innovators.
TOA Houston will host 17 featured brands, including MenuSifu, Lee Kum Kee, Workstream, Botrista, Curtis Su Associates, Super Water, Global One Bank, Houston International Trade Center, KB Innovate, Relux at Westchase, Boduo Group US, and Bank of America. The brand expo will facilitate direct B2B engagement, offering founders and investors a rare opportunity to connect face-to-face.
A by-invitation-only exclusive VIP dinner sponsored by Lee Kum Kee will bring together founders, investors, and top executives for closed-door discussions, relationship building, and deeper collaboration opportunities.
Event Details:
Location: 21402 Merchants Way, Katy, Texas 77449
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM CDT
Registration is limited. Please join us in shaping the next wave of Asian culinary innovation in North America.
Media contact:
Susie: marketing@hbmka.com
Mindy: mindy.zhu@thechihuo.com
SOURCE: Taste of Asia Food Brand Summit
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