Anmao Sun: It may seem a bit convenient that a Chinese snack has a kung-fu-inspired brand, but it’s actually in our history. Wa-Chaa started out as Huang Fei Hong, a snack beloved in Asia and amongst the Asian community here. The Huang Fei Hong brand was named decades ago by my father after the kung fu grandmaster from the late 1800s. He was a folk hero whose story became the inspiration for over one hundred kung fu films. When we started thinking about how to spread this to a wider American audience, we knew kung fu cinema was the key; it has such a rich history in American culture and, along with food, was one of the early iconic imports from the East.

This golden era of kung fu cinema brought so much epic entertainment. The spectacular physical feats that are at once real and unreal. The storylines with the ultimate stakes of honor and revenge. And the overall fun of a self-aware genre that was never so serious that it lost sight of being entertaining. From the 50s and 60s grindhouse era, to the phenomenon that was the Shaw Brothers, and later Bruce Lee. Not to mention the collective impact these films had on American fashion, music, art, and pop culture. I mean, just look at the Wu-Tang Clan. This inspiration is rich and endless. We just hope to live up to the amount of joy the genre has brought.  

JS: Who was Huang Fei Hong, and how does that martial arts legend’s story intersect with tasty peanuts?

AS: Huang Fei Hong was a community leader, physician, and grandmaster who lived from the late 1800s to the turn of that century. He became a folk hero and was the inspiration for over a hundred kung fu films. My dad has always been a big kung fu cinema fan, so when he started the brand back in China, he combined his two passions by naming it after this legend. 

JS: In addition to the entertaining packaging, website, and story, the snacks themselves are pretty great. Could you please tell us about the flavors and the consumer trends around health, flavors, etc., that the products rise to meet?

AS: Peanuts have been relegated to the back shelves in recent years. They’ve been overtaken by “fancier” nuts like almonds, pistachios, and cashews. But peanuts are the original. And there are a lot of good reasons to return to it. They’re full of protein and unsaturated healthy fats. Compared to tree nuts like almonds or pistachios, they also use a fraction of the water, and because they’re legumes, they naturally replenish nitrogen in the soil. 

So Wa-Chaa takes this wrongly dishonored nut and combines it with the standout Sichuan peppercorn to create a blockbuster snack experience. The Sichuan peppercorn is a spice that’s revered in regional Sichuan cooking. Its popularity has spread across China and increasingly throughout the world. People love that highly addicting tingling, numbing sensation it produces. Combined with heat, the málà flavor profile elevates any food experience. 

We’ve taken the honorable peanut, combined it with the coveted flavor that is málà, and gave it an umami kick with a proprietary blend of spices. The use of avocado oil and a particularly rich varietal of peanuts from Shandong all combine to create what we think is a devastatingly enjoyable experience. So that we may return honor to the peanut. 

We have four flavors: Original Heat, Double Heat, and the newly released Salt & Sichuan Peppercorn and Sichuan Barbecue. 

Courtesy of Wa-Chaa

JS: Wa-chaa is not the only snack nut product around—could you please tell us what makes the product special? Feel free to talk about the branding, the flavors, the ingredients, etc.

AS: It starts with the peanut itself. Our varietal is a particularly crunchy and sought-after peanut from the agricultural province of Shandong. These non-GMO peanuts have a uniquely crunchy and satisfying mouthfeel. By combining this with our signature málà blend of Sichuan peppercorns and chili flakes, we’ve created a snacking combination that is unmistakable and delicious. And now, under the remastered Wa-Chaa we’ve gone a step further to use avocado oil as well as a proprietary blend of umami-rich spices to increase depth of flavor. 

We’re always finding ways to tell entertaining flavor stories. And with the release of our two new flavors, Salt & Sichuan Peppercorn and Sichuan Barbecue, we’re able to highlight the iconic numbing properties of the Sichuan peppercorn in new ways. This is the first time that this spice is being featured without the pairing of heat. And it comes together to create a uniquely floral and craveable eating experience. 

JS: What’s next for Wa-chaa? Anything you can tell us about new products, retail partners, new flavors, etc., would be great.

AS: Well, we have big plans to get Wa-Chaa in front of a wide audience. We’ll be on shelves at a Sprouts near you starting next month. And in the coming months, you’ll be able to find us in many more retailers. We’ve got a variety of exciting new flavors and products in the works, and we plan to roll out many more fun kung fu cinematic projects in the near future. “To be continued…” as they say.

JS: Do you have a favorite? Please let me know,

AS: Original Heat. I’m a traditionalist.

Related: Wa-Chaa peanuts come to the U.S.