A popular new Texas TikTok vouched for the care that goes into Sushiya, H-E-B’s brand of sushi products.
H-E-B’s Curbside is great, convenient, reliable, and many more positive superlatives, but sometimes you just want to wander the aisles of a store and find the Sushiya corner with fresh samples and smiling faces. The H-E-B brand of the seafood department has been around since the early 2000s. Now, TikTok users are getting a chance to meet some of the people who made it a Texas favorite.
Houston-based TikTok user Kelly made a stitch video vouching for the quality of H-E-B sushi. The TikToker recognizes that some sushi savants might not think the taste is “5 star,” but she knows that care goes into making the rolls because her parents worked there when she was young.
“It is being handmade every single day by people who really care,” she says in the video. “I know my mom did about making sure the food was really good. She handled everything from food prep, to making, it to serving it, and hiring other people.”
H-E-B shoppers seemed to be invested in knowing more about the woman’s parents. Hundreds of comments defended the store’s rolls and shared how they look forward to taking a pack home..
“That sushi has SUSTAINED me MULTIPLE TIMES, great cheap lunch option in Texas,” a comment by user @ken.reinvented says.
“I was a seafood manager. I loved my Sushiya people. They work so hard,” @FromTheGarde says in her comment.
“Sushi Wednesday is quite literally the only thing that gets me thru the week,” @stephanie.anne adds.
The company’s official TikTok also chimed in.
“We’re so lucky to have had your mom and dad on our team,” the H-E-B comment says. “Every day we see new examples of the integrity our Partners have and it truly blows us away.”
Kelly took her sharing a bit further and posted follow up videos introducing her parents to the app. Her dad had a few messages for his new fans.
A popular new Texas TikTok vouched for the care that goes into Sushiya, H-E-B’s brand of sushi products.
“Get along have fun, enjoy, and just stay healthy,” he says into the camera. “Love you.”
He also sang a “Fools Rush In” and promoted the new Elvis movie.
Kelly’s mom invited sushi lovers to her new place of work, Citiline Cafe (Woodbranch) in Houston, which serves sushi and poke bowls on Tuesdays.
According to the H-E-B website, Sushiya launched in 2002 with the help of Glen Gondo and Hana Lee, who are advisors and are owners of Tokyo Gardens Catering.
“Glen and Hana are extremely active in supporting the AAPI community and are proud partners of H‑E‑B,” the website says.
Madalyn Mendoza is a proud Alamo City native. Keep up with her work and puro San Antonio happenings on Twitter, @MaddySkye.