Words by: Cieyou Lim and Tanya Singh
Photo Credit: NestBloom

 

Handcrafted with care and precision, NestBloom products bring diners a touch of elegance, beauty and self-love – wrapped in a moment of mindfulness.

 

Cieyou Lim, Founder of NestBloom

 

NestBloom is a revolutionary new brand specializing in the creation of epicurean edible beauty products featuring Bird's Nest as its main ingredient. Founded by Cieyou Lim, who joined Yan Yuan, his family's bird's nest commodity trading business in 2014, NestBloom seeks to welcome newer generations of diners to the table. The brand is dedicated to transforming Asian gastronomic traditions into modern epicurean delicacies. Each "bloom" is perfection, incorporating the best recipes, and the finest harvests sourced from all over the world to ensure impeccable quality.

 

Could you tell us a little bit about your own background and the role traditional Chinese medicine and philosophies played in your life growing up?

 

My grandparents have run a traditional Chinese medicine hall for the last 50 years. I grew up surrounded by traditional medicinal herbs and ingredients. My mother would also incorporate traditional ingredients in her cooking which played an important role in teaching me about the numerous benefits.

As most TCM ingredients are natural, I believe they can help to maintain balance in health without the many side effects that can come from synthetic supplements.

 

Heritage Pandan Rock Sugar Bloom (Premium)

 

Tell us the NestBloom story? How did the concept come about and how did it all begin?

 

We often overlook that the skin is our body’s biggest organ. In TCM, it is believed that the skin reveals a lot of information about a person’s general health condition. Consuming certain tonics regularly can holistically help a person's health and will contribute to good skin. This philosophy is where the idea first began.

I always felt that traditional Asian TCM ingredients like edible bird’s nest products have largely remained the same for the last 20 years. I wanted to create modern, beautiful, and convenient products that would speak to the current generation while incorporating the benefits of TCM ingredients. We wanted to make NestBloom an international brand that shares the counteless benefits of traditional Chinese medicine with the world.

We are about making products that are natural, real, convenient, beautiful, and modern. At NestBloom, we believe in creating experiences by combining technology, health, and design. Our mission is: Pamper, Love, Rejuvenate.

 

What were some of the challenges you faced in the beginning?

 

The challenges were endless! From R&D, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, distribution, and finance. We did everything ourselves. A humbling process, I had to learn and make tons of mistakes as I moved from division to division.

 

Red Ginseng Ritual Kit and Rose Ritual Kit

 

Tell us about the production process – how are the blooms made?

 

We start by cooking and processing everything as most chefs will do in restaurants. The key difference is in how we shape and process our products after cooking, although we cannot reveal much as the process is proprietary. We use the freeze-drying method to preserve our blooms. It is the only method that allows us to naturally preserve the product without any chemicals. The whole process takes 60 hours from beginning to end, where each bloom is individually hand-crafted.

 

Could you talk a little bit about the ingredients used in the blooms and where they are sourced from?

 

We source our natural ingredients from all over the world. For example, our edible bird’s nest is from Indonesia, the almonds from China, the matcha powder from Uji, Japan, the Damascus rose extract from Bulgaria, and the vanilla beans from Madagascar.

 

 

What’s next for NestBloom? Any exciting projects or new products on the horizon?

 

We are working on a range of functional foods that will be focusing on post-pregnancy health. We will combine TCM ingredients with western ingredients to create an industry-first product. Like all NestBloom core products, they will be made with real and natural ingredients.