RIP importfood.com?

I got email today from importfood.com saying that they are shutting down. Over the years they have been an excellent source for Thai ingredients not carried by my local Thai market, as well as Thai recipes. They said that they may be able to find a new owner for the business. Here's hoping that they do.

-Paul W.

That's not one that I'm familiar with. Guess I won't get the chance to change that now.

They posted a 5 minute or so video on YouTube explaining why the're closing. Two main reasons:

o The oil price increase resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This has affected them adversely in several ways. They have had trouble getting fresh produce from their local suppliers because of the increased transportation costs. And FedEx has more than doubled the cost to ship product to their customers. They have also seen a dramatic decrease in customer orders. Covid didn't help with these issues, either.

o They have been in business for 27 years, and these new issues have caused them to think it's time for them to move on.

For me as a big fan of cooking Thai dishes it's a big disappointment. I can find most of what I need at the local Thai grocery, but there are some items, such as the Mae Ploy curry pastes containing shrimp paste, that they don't carry. It looks like I'll have to resort to Amazon for my Mae Ploy purchases.

-Paul W.