Born out of necessity, passion, and a hunger for something more, UmamiPapi is not just a condiment - it’s a movement.

In 2020, during Melbourne’s lockdown, Ethan Yong found himself stuck in a monotonous cycle: work, eat, repeat. As a first-year analyst, productivity was low, and the excitement of dining out with friends had been replaced by another night of the same old meals. Food had lost its spark. With time to kill and a love for bold flavours, he asked himself - how could he bring excitement back to the table?

What started as a weekend project, selling a handful of chilli oil jars to family and friends, quickly caught fire. UmamiPapi turned everyday meals into unforgettable experiences. Word spread, demand skyrocketed, and before long, UmamiPapi had grown from a kitchen experiment to a national phenomenon - now stocked in supermarkets and home kitchens across the country and beyond.


At its core, UmamiPapi is about connection. Food is more than sustenance - it’s a shared experience, a reason to gather, and a way to connect.