Empowering leading Chinese restaurant brands to go global, while enabling exceptional international brands to scale and succeed in China.
Tomato Capital America: Mission & Core Commitments
At Tomato Capital America, we invest in overlooked potential—especially in the food and beverage industry.
Our mission is to support underrepresented, underserved, and underestimated entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry—specifically those from Asian, Black, Latino, immigrant, and economically disadvantaged communities.
We provide not only capital, but also strategic knowledge, mentorship, and access to vital entrepreneurial networks to help them build sustainable restaurant brands that create jobs, revitalize communities, and transform lives.
We Believe:
- Food service is more than just business—it is a cultural bridge and a pillar of community stability.
- Entrepreneurship is a critical pathway out of generational poverty.
We Help:
- Bringing exceptional Chinese culinary brands to serve American consumers;
- Supporting outstanding American food concepts to enter the Chinese market;
- Building a new generation of BIPOC-led, community-rooted restaurant businesses.
OUR FRAMEWORK: IMPACT + PROFIT (PURPOSE-DRIVEN GROWTH)
We are not a charity, but a mission-driven investment organization. Every project we back must achieve two simultaneous outcomes:
Generate Measurable Community Impact
More jobs, local hiring, inclusive sourcing, and cultural representation.
Build a Sustainable & Profitable Business Model
Clear unit economics, scalability, and long-term operational longevity.
Our Investment Criteria
We invest in food ventures that prioritize:
- Commitment to clean ingredients, ethical sourcing, and eco-friendly packaging;
- Respect for employees, including robust training and defined career development paths;
- Active participation in community building and strategic local nonprofit partnerships.
We Measure Success By
- Revenue and profitability metrics.
- The number of local jobs created.
- Minority founders empowered.
- Investment into community initiatives.
- Long-term store survival and sustained profitability.
OUR COMMITMENT TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
We commit to the following principles:
Integrity First
No price wars, no cutthroat competition. We uphold integrity and strict legal compliance.
Local Workforce
A minimum of 60% of each store's staff will be hired locally.
Community Reinvestment
A portion of profits is reinvested into local charities and youth development programs.
Mutual Respect
In every city we operate, we aim to build respectful, transparent, and mutually beneficial relationships with all stakeholders.
WHY WE EXIST: THE AIRPORT STORY
In 2025 09/23 , I (Qing Yong, founder of Narrow Gate Group and Tomato Capital) misplaced my passport just before boarding a flight to the United States. Our team was taken to a secondary screening room—a "small dark room"—and questioned under suspicion of illegal entry.
After an hour of tense waiting, a kind Black police officer personally retrieved my passport from the aircraft and returned it.
As we said goodbye, he smiled and joked, "If I ever open a restaurant, would you invest in me?"
Without hesitation, I replied: "Absolutely. If you start a restaurant, we will support you."
That moment stayed with me—not just as a kind gesture, but as a profound realization/awakening: In America, many still don't have a fair chance. We want to be part of changing that.
We are here not to take, but to contribute;
Not to dominate, but to build together;
Not just to open stores, but to open pathways to opportunity.
GUIDING TAGLINE
"Feeding Dreams. One Restaurant at a Time."
About Us
Tomato Capital, headquartered in Beijing, China, is an investment firm dedicated to the food and beverage (F&B) industry. Our portfolio includes restaurant brands, food and beverage (F&B) supply chains, and agri-food technology ventures. We focus on discovering and supporting visionary restaurant entrepreneurs while driving innovation in the food and beverage (F&B) sector through capital and strategic expertise.
Our robust investment ecosystem, built through platforms like Narrow Gate Insights, Narrow Gate Academy, Narrow Gate Supply Chain, and Narrow Gate Consulting, [KW1] provides comprehensive resources to help portfolio companies transition from scale to excellence.
Investment Approach
Global Brand Representation
We support established food and beverage (F&B) brands entering the U.S. with capital, operational expertise, and local partnerships.
Brand Incubation
We partner with driven U.S. entrepreneurs to co-create scalable, branded chains poised for global growth.
Global Talent
We collaborate with visionary founders across markets.
Selected Portfolio Highlights (Sample)
Wallace
A global fried chicken QSR brand with over 20,000 stores, already operating in the U.S.
Banu Hotpot
A premium hotpot chain, founded in 2001, with 144 company-owned stores in top cities of China.
Jixiang Wonton
A beloved wonton chain with over 3,000 locations, planning U.S. factory and store expansion.
ChaPanda
A publicly listed tea brand with over 8,000 stores and steady growth.
Zui Noodle
Beijing’s largest noodle chain, renowned for affordability and value.
Chef Fei
A leading Hunan cuisine brand, celebrated for its signature spicy stir-fried pork, is planning a US store expansion.
Advance Bakery & Dairy
A next-generation bakery emphasizing fresh, on-site production.
Commune
A full-service restaurant and bar blending food, beverage, and lifestyle.
Fish with You
A top quick-service pickled fish brand, founded in 2017.
Grandpa Xiong Dumplings
A value-driven dumpling chain known for fresh, handmade preparation.
Momo’s Bakery
A renowned Chinese clean-ingredient bakery brand with 40+ stores, top mochi sales, expanding to the U.S.
Our Advantages
- Extensive experience in China’s F&B market, having guided numerous brands from startup to over 1,000 locations.
- Backed by a parent company with substantial capital, operational resources, and talent support.
- Access to a strong pipeline of high-quality Chinese brands eager to enter the U.S., many of which choose us as their trusted partner.
- Since 2023, our U.S. team has conducted in-depth research across major cities and foodservice segments.
- Flexible partnership models, including company-owned stores, joint ventures, and franchising.
Why the U.S. Market?
Market Potential
U.S. consumers have a growing appetite for authentic, diverse Asian cuisines.
Brand Differentiation
Modern Chinese food and beverage (F&B) brands offer unique products and dining experiences.
First-Mover Advantage
Leading the wave of contemporary Chinese restaurant brands going global.
U.S. Expansion Strategy
We plan to open flagship and pilot stores in key cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Atlanta. Our focus is on QSR and fast-casual formats, with store sizes tailored to each brand’s needs. Specific site requirements can be discussed upon engagement.