Tending the Fire: A Year in Small Wins

We’re Warming the Stove.

A 2025 reflection from Amza Superfoods

If you ask a founder about the year, they’ll probably talk about what’s coming next: new products, new markets, new goals. The future always seems to call out loudly.

But before we step forward,
We pause just long enough to feel the ground beneath our feet.

Since April 2023, when Amza Superfoods first started selling Tibetan superfoods using climate-resilient grains from the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been learning how to turn something old into something new.

2025 was not about fireworks. It was about tending the fire.
And that, quietly, matters.

What We Put Into the World (Product Wins)

This year, Amza focused on depth rather than speed, letting our offerings develop with care.

We launched two new products:

• Flaxseed Butter with Oregon Hazelnuts, which is the third flavor in our flaxseed spread line.
• No-Cook Purple Karma Barley Flour (Tsamba), bringing Tibetan staples into modern kitchens with intention and care.

We improved our existing Tsamba products and invested in:

• Comprehensive lab testing & shelf-life studies with OSU’s Food Innovation Center (FIC) for our full product line, strengthening food safety, consistency, and retailer readiness
• Clear, regulation-aligned Nutrition Facts
• Sensory research by OSU’s FIC for Dark Chocolate Tsamba Bites, one of our fastest-moving products

• Roasted Tibetan Purple Karma Barley Flour (Tsamba)
• Black Barley

2025 taught us to focus on being better, not just doing more.

And customers noticed the difference.

Tibetan Tsamba Bites with Oregon Hazelnuts—our #1 online and at farmers’ markets.
No-Cook Tsamba Breakfast Mix—rising fast.
Flaxseed Butter with Dates & the Hazelnuts flavor have quietly become favorites for people of all ages.

More people are eating Tibetan food for breakfast than ever before, though some still aren’t sure how to say “tsamba.”

Where We Showed Up (Market Wins)

Showing up is progress, even if it’s a quiet kind of arrival.

In 2025, Amza expanded into 10 specialty retail stores across 6 states. We welcomed returning wholesale buyers—including Market of Choice and independent retailers—always the most meaningful vote of confidence.

We also showed up. A lot.

• 3 trade shows
• 104 farmers’ markets
• 18 store demos
• 12 special & holiday markets in 3 US states
• 1 six-month specialty food business program completed (Specialty Food Association)

We kept showing up, week after week and state after state, until curiosity turned into familiarity.

Along the way, our story traveled further than we expected:

• KOIN 6 News featured Amza, highlighting Tibetan culture and Oregon-grown crops
• Jolma, the founder, appeared on two podcasts: The Intersection and Cultivated.
• Wellness Magazine published two features within 6 months, including Tsamba, Toasts & Tibetan Soul Food, and The Ancient Wisdom Behind Amza Superfoods.

Consistency may not be glamorous, but it works.

The Work Behind the Scenes (Operational Wins)

Much of what happened in 2025 took place in quiet spaces, where few people applauded.

We invested in new equipment to meet growing demand and began planning for a larger facility to support scaling production. We strengthened sourcing relationships, focusing on local, climate-smart, fair-trade ingredients and on supply reliability.

Licensing, insurance, compliance, and logistics are all fully in place and working smoothly.

In Jan 2026, we’ll graduate from the Specialty Food Association’s Maker Prep program—a six-month course designed to help emerging brands learn how to market and distribute thoughtfully in the specialty food industry.

These wins don’t glitter or spark.
They do something better: they kindle the future.

How Amza Superfoods Sounds and Feels Now (Brand & Story Wins)

A new logo nears completion. Packaging redesign is underway.
More importantly, our message—Tibetan food, nutrition, purpose—grew clearer, more confident.

On social media, we grew steadily by showing up thoughtfully—not loudly. Customers said what we hoped, but never assumed:

“Healthy food that actually tastes good.”

That’s resonance—rare and hard-won.

Why This Matters (Impact Wins)

Impact need not be loud. Only true.

In 2025, Amza Superfoods preserved and modernized Tibetan foodways—sharing everyday staples, shaped to fit contemporary lives.

Climate-resilient grains are not just a trend; they are a necessity.

We stayed visible, showing up where representation matters.

We were honored to receive recognition from the Specialty Food Association:

• Being named Top Specialty Food Trend for wellness and functional food
• Flaxseed Butter with Chili & Turmeric spotlighted in SFA’s Trend Display at the Summer Fancy Food Show.

We also received grants from the NWRM Regional Food Business Center and Livelihood NW to support equipment investments and rebranding, strengthening our brand’s foundation.

Support for Tibetan women and girls through education is a commitment we are intentionally building toward.

Looking Ahead (A Tease of 2026)

In 2026, you’ll see:

• A new flavor in the No-Cook Tsamba Breakfast Mix line
• An optimized Dark Chocolate Cacao Nibs Tsamba Bites informed by FIC sensory research.
• Whole-grain Tibetan Purple Karma Barley & Black Barley are introduced as rice alternatives.
• A new look for the Amza Superfoods brand, including a new logo & packaging
• Expansion into natural and organic B2B spaces
• Deeper collaborations with local, responsible growers and food innovation partners

We’ve also been selected for a national food business fellowship in 2026, focused on building an investible, values-aligned growth strategy. This is another step in strengthening Amza’s foundation.

The stove is warm.
The ingredients are newly harvested and ready.
We’re taking our time with the recipe, letting it unfold slowly at its own pace.

Thank You

To everyone, who tasted, shared, stocked, asked, returned, and believed:
thank you for being part of this quiet chapter.

We’re still here,
Still showing up,
Still warming the stove.

Wishing you warmth, health, and a nourishing New Year in 2026! 

Yours,
Jolma & Amza team