Many of us fondly remember the foods from our childhood, but where do you go to find those foods if you grew up in Europe, Central America, or Asia? For many community members seeking ingredients or comforting dishes of their homeland, that means a trip to the Keene International Market on Emerald Street in Keene.
Owner Chuda Mishra and his wife, Jenna Carroll, who is also the Director of Education at the Historical Society of Cheshire County, have two daughters, Ruby, who is almost 11 years old, and Sophia, age 9. They relocated to Keene nine years ago from Connecticut.
Born and raised in Nepal, Mishra remembers what it was like to find himself craving the familiar foods of home and being unable to find them here in the Monadnock Region.
“When I moved here, I was traveling to Massachusetts or Concord to get the things I wanted and I saw a lot of the immigrant community doing the same thing,” Mishra said of the beginnings of his inspiration to open the market.
Then, when the pandemic hit in 2020, Mishra began helping others who were afraid to travel to their go-to ethnic food stores, making regular trips to pick-up locations in New York and Boston. That community need led to the launch of an online store in January 2021, which took off and was followed quickly by the opening of a brick-and-mortar location in September 2021.
As Carroll explained, the pandemic really had a snowball effect on their business plans. Their guest room had become a makeshift stock room and they were holding so many pop-up food pick-ups that when a location became available on Emerald Street it seemed like the time had arrived to open a storefront.
The couple had been surveying customers for suggestions and knew that they wanted to secure a store location that was close to downtown, but also had its own parking for convenience and ease in buying heavy items.
Fast forward to today, and the Keene International Market now carries products from more than 30 countries around the world. They’ve increased their offerings 50 percent since opening less than two years ago, Mishra said.
The market carries a selection of fresh produce like ginger root, okra, cilantro, curry leaves, several mushroom varieties, papaya, Chinese eggplant, lemongrass, and rambutan. Its non-perishable items include a wide range of noodles and bulk rice, canned goods, sauces, candy, and dried spices, organized on shelves by region.
Frozen foods include items like mochi, naan bread, steamed buns, samosas, and bangers. The refrigerated case features cheeses and clotted cream and an impressive selection of beverages from around the world.
There are also health and beauty products and cookware items such as woks, tortilla presses, chopsticks, and momo makers. And there are foods by local producers as well -- sambar made by Dosa Kitchen of Brattleboro, fresh baklava by a Concord baker, and Swedish and Finnish breads made by the Finnish Mama in Fitzwilliam, as well as international extracts by Sweetbrook Estate of Gilsum.
The customer base has grown significantly since they opened, Mishra said, adding that he sees more new people coming in daily. The Japanese and Filipino cuisine items do very well, Carroll said, as do the British and Scandinavian foods.
With time and experience, they’ve expanded offerings from some of the more popular regions, while cutting back in others. She said they’ve had requests for German foods and halal meats, which adhere to Islamic law defined in the Koran.
As we spoke, a customer inquired about a certain variety of soy sauce, going on to explain that she grew up in New York and has had difficulty finding certain ingredients in this area that she uses for cooking. She was happy to have found Keene International Market through a Google search of “Asian markets” and was a first-time shopper.
They’ve been seeing more customers lately coming from Vermont and Massachusetts, Carroll said, thanks to a grant they received through the University of New Hampshire that provided funds to work with a marketing consultant on ideas and suggestions for expanding their reach.
The fruits, vegetables, and frozen foods do well, as do the beverages, Mishra added. Supply chain issues seem to be improving, although he’s sometimes had to wait in line to get products through certain distributors.
He said that while they do supply ingredients to a few local restaurants, like Royal Spice in Troy and The Phonky Noodle in Keene, he’d like to work with more restaurants in the future. Their other future goals for the market include offering street food takeout and a test kitchen.
Participating in community events that promote cultural diversity and awareness, like the annual Keene International Festival and the local Holi Festival celebrations, are also important to Mishra and Carroll.
This Saturday, the market will be a stop on the Keene Ice & Snow Festival’s “Find the Yeti” scavenger hunt for kids and will also have a costumed Yeti character on-site for photo opportunities and Yeti toys for sale, in addition to serving samples of Mexican hot chocolate.
Also sometimes referred to as the Abominable Snowman, the Yeti is a mythical beast said to inhabit the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. He’s sure to find something familiar and delicious to eat at the Keene International Market, where, as their website declares, all bellies are welcome.
Keene International Market is at 162 Emerald St. in Keene and can be reached at 603.338.0060. For more information, visit keeneinternationalmarket.com and follow the market on Facebook for product updates and events.
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