21-05-2025
The H Mart paradox: Why the beloved Asian grocer might be OK despite Trump's trade war
On a recent weekend in April, data consultant Shane Kessler wasn't at the grocery store to panic-buy eggs, but rather to scour the tall, narrow aisles of the the H Mart in Manhattan's K Town for the viral Korean pastry known as a crungji, basically a flattened croissant. He hadn't found one yet, but his basket was filled with popular Melona ice cream, from South Korea, and two bottles of his favorite Japanese soy sauce from among the more than 100 varieties on offer. He was worried about tariffs raising the prices of his favorite goods. 'I never thought I'd be stockpiling soy sauce, but here we are,' he shrugged. 'I've come to H Mart every weekend this month.'
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