Episode 84 | Building A Food Brand People Actually Feel Something For with Patrick Coyne of Laoban Dumplings

This week, I sat down with Patrick Coyne, founder and chief executive of Laoban Dumplings, for a conversation that reminds you why some brands just hit differently. From teaching English in China to running dumpling shops in D.C. to building one of the most exciting frozen food brands in the country, Patrick’s journey is proof that authenticity travels, even into the freezer aisle.

We get into how Laoban went from brick and mortar to CPG during the pandemic, with Patrick and his team hand-packing dumplings and delivering them to local stores, often with the brand’s mascot, Rollie the Chief Dough Officer, riding shotgun and controlling the music.

Patrick breaks down his philosophy on hospitality and why frozen food deserves the same level of care as a restaurant experience. From packaging and cooking instructions to emotional branding and clarity of communication, every detail is intentional. He also shares how the team uses kids’ reactions to Rollie, retailer feedback, and product testing to shape the future of the brand.

We talked about the whitespace in frozen Asian food, why the category has not evolved in decades, and how Laoban plans to change that with items like scallion pancakes, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, bao, and of course dumplings. Patrick also opens up about hard decisions, like pulling a product launch from Whole Foods until it met their standards — a choice that led to an even stronger partnership and their successful bao rollout.

If you love brand building, hospitality, food culture, or founder stories that do not take themselves too seriously, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and plenty of Rollie energy.

📲 Follow Patrick:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-patrick-coyne/

📲 Check out Laoban:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laoban-dumplings/

Website: https://laobandumplings.com/

👋 Enjoying Above the Fold?

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