About Us

I’m Tenzin Choden, founder of Ama Tashi Foods. I was born a refugee in India, and in 2015, my family moved to Canada under the Tibetan Resettlement Project, which brought 1,000 Tibetan refugees from a remote region in Arunachal Pradesh—to give them a chance at a better life. In 2019, my family and I became Canadian citizens, finally finding a place to call home.

Ama Tashi Foods is rooted in the foods that sustained our ancestors - most importantly, tsampa, a traditional Tibetan staple made from roasted barley. My grandparents once crossed the Himalayan mountains on foot from Tibet to India, surviving months on nothing but tsampa. Sherpas rely on tsampa to fuel themselves on high-altitude climbs, and Tibetan nomads and monks have used it for centuries to endure long retreats. Growing up, I watched my mother roast barley by hand and grind it with care, preserving this tradition in our home. Today, I carry that legacy forward, running Ama Tashi Foods and bringing tsampa to a wider market with my own hands and vision.

The name of our brand, Ama Tashi Foods, honors my mother, Tashi. “Ama” means mother, and “Tashi” means auspicious in Tibetan. It is also a common warm greeting symbolizing blessings, positivity, and connection—values that reflect the soul of this business.

Canada is one of the world’s largest barley producers, yet this ancient superfood is still underutilized. I realized that tsampa is perfect for modern Canadians: unprocessed, high in protein and fiber, versatile, and ideal for hiking, camping, or everyday healthy living.

At Ama Tashi Foods, I create ready-to-eat and easy-to-use tsampa products, roasted partly using traditional methods with a modern twist. Our products include stone-milled barley tsampa, instant tsampa meals, and wholesome barley granola—every bite a taste of tradition made for today.