ZenBroth began as a student project at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, rooted in a personal frustration:
Eating clean, balanced meals consistently felt much harder than it should be.
Between workouts, long days, and busy schedules, we often found ourselves choosing between flavor and how our bodies felt afterward — a tradeoff we didn’t believe made sense.
We cared deeply about what we ate. We paid attention to ingredients, balance, and how food fit into an active, modern lifestyle. But too often, meals were either optimized for performance and stripped of joy, or comforting and flavorful but left us feeling heavy.
Less force. More flow.
Inspired by a line from the Daodejing, this principle reflects the power of non-intervention — allowing things to unfold naturally, and finding the best outcome through harmony rather than force.
This idea shapes everything we do at ZenBroth.
We believe everyday food can do better — offering flavor, nourishment, and versatility, while making each meal feel balanced, satisfying, and enjoyable.
The journey begins with flavor.
At home, my grandfather was our family chef.
With the simplest ingredients, he could make something unforgettable.
He said the trick was umami.
That’s the flavor behind ZenBroth.
In East Asian kitchens, umami comes from slowly simmered broth. To fit modern life, we bring the essence of broth — its flavor and nourishment — into a fine, easy-to-use seasoning.
5 + 3
5 ingredients to nourish
3 ingredients to build flavor
Every ingredient in ZenBroth and ZenVroth (our plant-based option) is chosen with intention — to support nutrition, flavor, texture, and balance.
Before work.
After workouts.
Between meetings.
Late dinners at home.
Sprinkled into eggs, grains, vegetables, soups, or simple bowls, they become a small, repeatable ritual — one moment of care in an otherwise busy routine.
From the Founder
Hi, I’m Jessica.
I was born in China and have been living in the U.S. for the past 10 years. Food has always been how I stay grounded — it’s how I remember home, even when life gets busy.
I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, and ZenBroth is something I’ve been lucky to grow through Wharton School’s venture accelerator program. But more than a venture, it’s a reflection of how I want to eat and live.
I believe good food doesn’t need to be complicated.
It just needs to be intentional, comforting, and something you can come back to every day.
If ZenBroth can sit quietly in your kitchen and make everyday meals feel a little better, then it’s doing exactly what I hoped it would.
- Jessica
Founder Jessica (left) with Bobbi Brown (right), founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. A shared moment over ZenBroth.