Jennifer Jolorte Doro, Irene Liu create Chiyo meal service tailored to different stages of pregnancy and postpartum
NEW YORK -- Two Asian- American women in our area are tapping into their roots to help mothers of all backgrounds.
During the pandemic, they started Chiyo, a meal service tailored to the different stages of pregnancy and postpartum.
As CBS2's Lisa Rozner reports, Baby Zion is 12 weeks old. His mother Justine Pak says there has been a lot o fsleepless nights, but she's had support in her postpartum journey nutritionally and spiritually.
"I feel much better than I anticipated," Pak said.
For months, Pak and her husband have been purchasing weekly meals from Chiyo, a meal delivery service founded by New Yorkers Jennifer Jolorte Doro, a nutritionist, and Irene Liu, a businesswoman.
"My aunt had a baby, and I saw her sending these traditional Chinese postpartum meals," Liu said. "I started doing more research and realize that a lot of other ancient cultures had an approach for caring for women during this time."
Doro, who is Filipino American, had been cooking meals using Eastern food therapy for women who were trying to conceive to those in the postpartum stage.
They formed the startup in 2020 and now are shipping nationwide from a kitchen in Kearny, New Jersey. Helen Cabot-Goldman is chief operating officer.
"Every ingredient that Chiyo uses has a purpose," Cabot-Goldman said. "We intentionally keep all of our food low sugar because if any women are dealing with any type of gestational issues."
The meals come with garnishes, for example Goji berries, which the founders say come with antioxidants.
Pak is Korean American and her husband is Chinese American. She says the meals incorporate ingredients their mothers use with Western nutrition.
"They do a seaweed soup. So in Korean culture, the main food that you eat postpartum is seaweed soup, and it's high in iron meant to replenish blood loss, and kind of stimulate your body, so that you can recover," Pak said.
A recovery that the founders hope comes with more ease for all as they bring new lives into the world.
While the meals have many Asian elements, the founders say the customer base is only 25% Asian American.
The meals can cost around $400-500 a week, depending on location.
