With real bone broth, tender braised beef, and air-dried noodles, OMU brings the comfort of a thoughtfully cooked meal to everyday life.
Napa, California., Oct. 22, 2026 -- OMU, the California food brand bringing Asian comfort food to the everyday pantry, announced that its Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup has been named a Gold Award finalist in the Frozen & Prepared Foods category of the Specialty Food Association’s 2027 sofi™ Awards.
For OMU, recognition celebrates a bowl built around a simple belief: comfort and care should remain part of everyday life, even when there is little time to cook. Its Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup brings together real liquid bone broth, tender braised beef, and air-dried noodles in a shelf-stable meal ready in five minutes.
“We wanted to make the kind of meal you’re relieved to come home to,” said James Chen, founder of OMU. “A rich broth, tender beef, noodles with a good bite. Being named a sofi™ finalist is a meaningful moment for us because so much of our work has gone into getting that bowl right.”
The sofi™ Awards have recognized specialty food and beverage excellence since 1972. This year, an expert panel of industry buyers evaluated more than 1,000 entries through blind judging, considering flavor, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. OMU’s Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup is one of 75 products advancing as Gold Award finalists.
A Bowl Built from the Broth Up
The broth is the foundation of OMU’s Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup. Beef, pork bones, and chicken contribute depth and rounded flavor, while kombu and shiitake add savory richness. The result is a liquid broth with the body and complexity that comes from cooking the ingredients together.
The beef is braised until tender, becoming part of the broth’s flavor as it cooks. Steamed and air-dried rather than fried, the noodles bring a springy bite that holds up in the soup. Each element has a purpose: a broth worth lingering over, beef with substance, and noodles that make the bowl feel complete.
Keeping that eating experience in a shelf-stable format is central to OMU’s approach. With no refrigeration required before opening, a bowl can wait in the pantry until the evening it is needed.
Comfort for the Days That Get Away from You
OMU’s idea of comfort begins with ordinary moments: coming home late, cooking for one, or craving a familiar meal far from home.
These are the moments the brand designs for. A satisfying bowl should be within reach when someone has little energy left to prepare one. OMU brings the cooking together in advance, making room for a small pause in the day, the warmth of the broth, the first bite of noodles, and the feeling of having fed yourself well.
The brand welcomes people who grew up with beef noodle soup and those discovering it for the first time. Familiarity is welcome; curiosity is enough.
Meet OMU at Winter FancyFaire*
OMU’s Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup is part of a three-flavor collection that also includes Sichuan Braised Beef Noodle Soup and Tomato Braised Beef Noodle Soup.
The finalist recognition comes as OMU continues introducing its products to consumers and the specialty food community. At Winter FancyFaire*, taking place January 17–19, 2027, in San Francisco, buyers and media are invited to visit OMU at Booth 621 to taste the collection and meet the team.
The Specialty Food Association will announce the 2027 sofi™ Award winners on January 17 during the show.
For product information, samples, or wholesale inquiries, visit www.omu.food or contact [email protected].
About OMU
OMU is a shelf-stable Chinese beef noodle soup brand from Open Mouth Food Inc., founded in Napa Valley, California, 2025 by James Chen. Its noodle soups pair real liquid bone broth and braised beef with steamed, air-dried noodles, ready in five minutes with no refrigeration needed before opening. Built on the belief that care should remain part of life even when it gets busy.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $219-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 4,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by producing events, programs, and year-round resources and education. SFA owns and operates the Summer Fancy Food Show, Winter FancyFaire®, and the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. SFA also oversees the Good Food Mercantile, Good Food Qualification, and Good Food Awards, celebrating tasty, authentic, responsibly crafted food and the people behind it. Find out more at Specialtyfood.com, and connect with SFA on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Media Contact for OMU
Jietong Fan
Marketing Coordinator, OMU
Open Mouth Food Inc.
[email protected]
646-570-4568
www.omu.food
Media Contact for the Specialty Food Association