Goshen Foods
June 15, 2026 / Photo: Courtesy of Goshen Foods
Joanna Choi’s family created Goshen Foods to empower Korean immigrants in New York — 25 years later, she is helping to continue their legacy.
Choi’s family immigrated to the states in the ‘90s and found community within their Long Island City church. After observing other Korean families who were struggling to get a financial foothold in the city, they decided to create a business to help support them, using a traditional and culturally beloved food staple.
The custom kimchi operation was maintained for many years by family and friends, until Choi’s uncle, who was helming operations, became ill during the pandemic and moved out of state. The business was at an impasse and at risk of shuttering — but Choi’s parents urged her to take it on in her uncle's place. Choi was anxious at the prospect of carrying Goshen forward, until her parents reminded her that she was preserving, not just a brand, but a multigenerational legacy.
Through trial and error, expertise and intuition, she has since helped Goshen grow exponentially and turn more and more New Yorkers on to its products.
“I'm enjoying creating something very amazing with our team,” she said. “Of course, there's ups and downs, but those experiences get so rewarding afterwards, and those rewards go to our customers.”
Choi has helped expand the brand’s reach as well as its products. In addition to their original napa cabbage kimchi, they now also offer celery, cucumber, radish, scallion, and mustard leaf varieties.
Goshen prides itself on creating authentically fermented kimchi, without any probiotic powders or shortcuts in production. Their process takes several days to complete and can’t be rushed, but it’s crucial to ensure the ideal outcome. And what they create is well worth the extra effort — kimchi with deep, dimensional flavor that is both healthful and an exciting additive to dishes.
Choi has prioritised introducing Goshen to more Western markets and urging people to incorporate kimchi in different recipes, not just traditional Korean dishes.
“I really wanted to promote its authentic, Korean, rooted flavor, but also wanted to educate Westerners that kimchi is not just for a Korean palette. You could incorporate it into different foods, she said, “So when we invite people over, we make kimchi gnocchi or kimchi Mediterranean…”
In the coming months, Choi will continue to introduce more people to her family’s incredible kimchi by way of promotion, chef collaborations, and even a few family dinners. More about Goshen and its products can be found here.
