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14 n e w h a v e n B I Z | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m By Liese Klein S hopping for dumplings and hand- held snacks at G Mart in Milford can be overwhelming: Four large freezer cases stretch across the Asian supermarket's floor, packed with dozens of choices that span the globe. You can pick from a range of Chi- nese bao steamed buns and wontons, Asian markets vie for growing population amid heightened competition Vietnamese spring rolls, Taiwanese "burger buns" and Japanese gyoza, not to mention Korean mandu and Filipino lumpia, or fried spring rolls. Arrayed in colorful wrappers print- ed in multiple languages, G Mart's selection of dumplings and their ilk is unmatched in the New Haven area and a major draw for customers, owner Jeff Gee said. "We find people coming here for unique veggies, Japanese and Korean dumplings," Gee said. "Stuff like that they can't find nowhere else." G Mart, which opened in February 2021 in a former ShopRite, is the first large-scale supermarket in the New Haven area featuring groceries spe- cific to East Asian cuisines, including specialty produce, meat, fresh fish and dry goods. With its sprawling footprint, the market has plenty of room for that range of dumpling varieties, in addition to dozens of iterations of dried noodles, soy sauce, seaweed and tofu, many imported from Asian nations. Despite recent economic challenges due to inflation and supply-chain snarls, business has been steady, Gee said. "It's OK," Gee said of the store's sales. "We opened during the pandemic, so we can't tell if it would be much different." G Mart's opening was sparked by the growing population of people of Asian descent in the New Haven area. Accord- ing to the U.S. Census, 34,662 people in New Haven County identified them- selves as of Asian descent in 2020, an increase of nearly 15% since 2010. In the city of New Haven, those of Asian descent represented 7% of the population in 2020, up from 4% in 2010, an increase of 3,180 residents, according to DataHaven. Statewide, Asian Americans account- ed for more than half of Connecticut's population growth over the past 10 years and now make up 5% of the state's total population. Listing the many nations represented by the state's Asian American Pacif- ic Islander residents, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said recently, "In Connecticut, we embrace this beautiful diversity." She spoke Aug. 19, at the opening of the New England Asian American Cultural Center in Milford. "I'm so delighted to be here to support our very vibrant and growing (Asian American Pacific Islander) community," Bysiewicz said. Competition heats up Reflecting the promise of that grow- ing population and Milford's central location, a New York-based East Asian grocery chain announced plans this summer to open another superstore less than a mile from G Mart in Milford, at 804 Boston Post Road. Queens-based iFresh said in June it had resumed long-gestating plans to open a 22,000-square-foot store, announcing an October launch even as its parent company faced charges from the Securities and Exchange Commis- sion that it had filed inaccurate financial statements. At the 1.39-acre Milford site, once home to the historic M&M Farms produce market, work seemed to be on hold on the new iFresh in late August. Stacks of curved Chinese-style roof tiles sat scattered at the front of the building. Permits on the window dated from 2017 to 2020, and inside, a Red Bull can sat on a countertop coated with dust. Even if the iFresh store never opens, other East Asian grocery chains are expanding in the region. Queens-based East Asian grocer H Mart drew hundreds to the opening of its new store in August in Quincy, Massachusetts. H Mart, with a focus on Korean products, now operates nearly 100 stores across the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom. Even West Coast grocery chains see opportunity in the Northeast: Califor- nia's 99 Ranch Market opened its first store in New York in April, launching a 45,602-square-foot outlet in Long Island. e chain, founded by a Taiwan- ese immigrant, also operates a store in Quincy, Massachusetts. e broader sector represented by these superstores, the "multicultural grocery market," represents a $50 billion International Appeal PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN Ok Soon Sim, owner of Hanmi Oriental Food & Gift Shop on State Street, draws customers with her homemade kimchi and a selection of vegan Korean prepared food.

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