Ferndale is among the most multicultural cities in Whatcom County, but its diversity hasn’t always been reflected on grocery store shelves. Folks looking to cook Indian or Fijian recipes used to have to trek to Bellingham — until the opening of India Fiji Supermarket last month, that is.
After a grand opening Oct. 26, India Fiji Supermarket is officially Ferndale’s lone Indian grocery store, where “the flavors of India meet the warmth of Fiji.” Owners Komal Karan and Saran Singh said the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We still have people coming every day, and they’re so happy,” Karan said. “They’re like … ‘If I’m cooking up a recipe and I’m missing one thing, I don’t have to go to Bellingham.’ So yeah, we are really happy to fulfill that need in Ferndale and Blaine as well.”
Karan and Singh were born and raised in Ba, Fiji, where Singh’s family-owned grocery stores — meaning they know what foods Fijians like (“and we have a lot of them around here,” Karan noted). The couple had long dreamed of opening their own shop in the U.S. Following a county-wide location search, they settled on a spot just minutes from their home in Ferndale.
“It took us like 10 months of planning and working overnight, late nights,” Karan said. “It was so much work, so much planning … But yeah, it all worked out. We had over 200 people on our opening day.”
Weeks after opening, the store’s shelves are practically overflowing with Indian and Fijian ingredients, snacks and spices: whole and ground spices, teas, snacks, sauces and much more. Available dried goods range from rice and besan (chickpea) flour, plus a wall lined with seemingly every color of lentil.
Freezers contain everything from ready-to-eat curries to eggless sweets, while the adjacent produce section offers fresh fruits, veggies and goods like Fijian turmeric and curry leaves. The snack aisle is equally impressive: Karan said her favorite are the smoked chicken wheels, whereas Singh is partial to baked peanut puffs. Other popular items include ghee, tamarind date chutney, tea and even frozen samosas.
Fijian cuisine has a rich multicultural heritage, with strong influences from Indian, Chinese and even European cuisines. Indo-Fijian cuisine incorporates Indian flavors as well as Fijian staples like fresh seafood, coconut and citrus fruits. But despite India Fiji Supermarket’s wealth of South Asian and Melanesian ingredients, Karan said people from all backgrounds shop here.
“It’s been really diverse,” Karan continued, adding that their customer base so far has ranged from born-and-raised Ferndale residents to Fijians, Indians, Samoans, Tongans and more.
On the whole, the couple’s hope is that all shoppers — not just those already familiar with cooking Indian and Fijian cuisines — will leave excited to explore new flavors. Karan and Singh have already hosted tasting events like a Nov. 16 “Snack and Savor,” wherein community members were invited to sample goods from the shop’s growing inventory.
Both Karan and Singh are also happy to offer recipe ideas and advice to customers. As for Karan’s own specialty? She and Singh agree that she’s a master at chicken biryani — and yes, they’re hoping to offer in-store cooking classes too. Would-be customers can follow India Fiji Supermarket on Instagram @indiafijisupermarket to stay updated on future events.
India Fiji Supermarket is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday at 6160 Portal Way, Suite 103 in Ferndale.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
