YAY NOVELTY

YAY NOVELTY is a lifestyle brand creating high-quality products that benefit consumers, the planet, and underserved communities.

Focused on impact over profit, our collection includes gourmet foods, eco-friendly home essentials, accessories, and more. The brand is based in Washington State and stands for "Why and Why" — representing the reasons for the company's existence and the purpose behind its products. YAY NOVELTY's goal is to connect fun with functionality and quality, while also supporting resources for Cambodian ge

nocide survivors. At YAY NOVELTY, we are committed to providing a high-quality range of products that not only look great but also provide excellent value for money. Our selection includes stylish reusable shopping bags, ALL-IN-ONE mineral tinted sunscreen+anti-aging skincare, all-natural grass-fed beef jerky with anti-inflammatory benefits, slim wallets, vaccine/medicare card holders, lip balm cases, luxurious clay bar soap, designer Swedish dishcloths, vibrant luggage tags, illustrated notepads, elegant greeting cards, and eco-friendly gift jars. All of our products are produced to the highest standards with a focus on fair trade and sustainability. With YAY NOVELTY you can be sure that you are getting the very best products, without compromising on quality or style. In addition, we also offer an extensive range of pet products to choose from.

09/03/2026

Most people underestimate their own strength. When problems pile up, it's easy to feel powerless. But the truth is, we are far more capable than we give ourselves credit for. Think about it, if people truly couldn't handle life's challenges; depression and despair would be far more widespread than they are. Yet, humanity has endured for thousands of years through unimaginable hardships.

Take my mother, for example. She survived genocide, losing her husband, children, and many of her siblings and extended family during one of history's darkest periods. Despite being seriously ill herself, she cared for me and my sister as we fled through the jungle, sick and malnourished, stepping past countless corpses with barely enough food to survive. She faced extreme emotional, mental, and physical trauma all at once. Yet, she never gave up.

Now in her 80s, she has recently survived six heart attacks, more than a dozen strokes, and, just today, a broken ankle. Through it all, her inner strength has never wavered. She is a remarkable testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a powerful reminder of the strength that lives within each of us.

So the next time you feel powerless, remember: you are far stronger than you think.

09/01/2026

When someone is rude, disrespectful, or insulting toward us, and we respond in the same way, we are no better than they are.

From my perspective, I choose to have more compassion for that person instead. All I can see is someone who is already being burned alive by their own anger, pain, or frustration. If I insult them back, I’m simply pouring more gasoline onto the fire; and in the process, I’m allowing myself to get burned too.

At the end of the day, it becomes a losing battle for everyone.

I may appear to be the person who “lost” because I chose not to fight back, but I know the truth: I’m the one who truly won. Not only did I protect myself from getting burned, but I may also have helped the other person cool down, even if they don’t realize it.

Sometimes, winning isn’t about defeating someone else. Sometimes, winning means refusing to become what hurt you.

As the saying goes, “Not all heroes need to wear a uniform.”

08/31/2026

Forgiveness looks different depending on where someone is in their healing journey. If the wound is fresh, forgiveness may feel impossible; and that's okay. Time is the only remedy at that stage. However, it can help to ask yourself: "Is holding onto this pain and anger actually benefiting me?"

Reflection and a shift in perspective are, in my experience, the most effective paths to healing, as they address the root cause rather than the symptoms. We are naturally inclined to blame others before turning the lens on ourselves. But consider this: what if you were in their position? People change. They grow in different directions. There is no inherent right or wrong in that; no one should sacrifice their happiness to sustain another person's.

True happiness comes from within, independent of a partner's presence. What can be wrong, however, is how someone ends a relationship; whether through cheating or a lack of honesty. But one day, when you find yourself in a better place or with someone more suited to you, you may find yourself grateful for that past relationship. Without it, you wouldn't be where you are now.

08/30/2026

Hi everyone, I'd love your input!
I'm currently designing packaging for my upcoming functional foods collection. Which logo placement works best: A or B? Thanks in advance!

08/29/2026

Feeling lucky or unlucky is a matter of perspective.

I feel lucky to have lived through genocide, because it gave me a rare and profound opportunity to witness the darkest side of humanity, and to understand the value of life, compassion, and hope.

I feel lucky to have grown up in a refugee camp, because it taught me resilience, endurance, and determination. Those lessons became some of my greatest strengths and later served me well as I built and ran my business.

I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to live in America, the land of opportunity, where I was able to dream, rebuild, and create a life of my own.

I feel lucky to have experienced broken relationships, because they taught me that true happiness does not come from another person. It comes from within, from knowing and accepting yourself.

And I will feel lucky until my last day on Earth, because I have been given the extraordinary opportunity to experience the full spectrum of human emotion: the pain and the joy, the loss and the love, the darkness and the light.

Being lucky isn't about having an easy life. It's about finding meaning in everything life gives us.

YAY NOVELTY

08/24/2026

Food shouldn’t be driven by trends; it should be functional, period. The more we allow trends to dictate what we eat, the more the industry modifies ingredients and production methods to keep up with consumer demand.

Take cacao, for example. The recent surge in chocolate consumption, fueled by the Dubai chocolate trend, combined with growing concerns about cacao supply, has led some major corporations to invest heavily in lab-grown cacao. While innovation has its place, it also raises an important question: How far should we go in altering what nature has already given us?

Nature created a diverse range of foods for a reason; to provide us with a balanced, varied diet. When we prioritize trends and convenience over natural balance, we risk undermining our own well-being without realizing it.

If we're told that lab-grown products offer the same nutritional value as those grown in soil, we should ask: Where does that information come from, and who is providing it?

It's also worth noting that not all soil-grown foods are created equal; quality varies depending on agricultural practices, soil health, and cultivation methods. But that's a topic for another time.

Let's work to preserve what nature provides and respect traditional agricultural and food processing methods. By valuing natural ingredients and time-honored practices, we can protect both the integrity of our food and the wisdom passed down through generations.

08/23/2026

A Little About Me
I wanted to introduce myself to those who are new to my page.

My name is Sunchea Phou. I was born in Cambodia and survived the Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge, including the Ghost Mountain event. I left Cambodia at seven years old, emigrating to Montreal, Canada in the 1980s, before moving to the US in 2000.

My background is in design engineering. Two of my most notable projects include engineering NFL uniforms for all 32 teams, with a particular focus on the Seattle Seahawks, and developing a heart-monitoring device for NASA astronauts.

In 2012, I left that career and spent two months traveling across Cambodia, looking for ways to help reduce poverty there. Building a comfortable life in America was within reach, but creating a meaningful impact felt far more challenging.
After returning to the US, I realized that finding an international market for Cambodian products could make a real difference. Rather than simply offering handouts, I wanted to help create sustainable livelihoods. At the time, Cambodia wasn't ready for exportation, so I began building my brand, YAY NOVELTY, creating eco-friendly products while waiting for the right moment. That moment finally came in 2025, and I have since shifted my focus to the better-for-you food category.

Why I Believe in Traditional Ways?

My connection to nature and traditional approaches to wellness comes from more than three decades of caring for my mother. During that time, I witnessed firsthand both the strengths and limitations of modern and traditional medicine.

Modern medicine is essential, particularly in emergencies and when advanced medical intervention is needed. But through my personal experiences, I've found that chronic pain and long-term health issues often respond better to traditional approaches.

My mother was paralyzed twice. When doctors had exhausted their options, I turned to traditional medicine, and she recovered. She also developed a diabetic ulcer on her calf and was warned that her leg might eventually need to be amputated. After spending more than $300 per doctor's visit without seeing improvement, she ultimately healed after using a $1 herbal remedy.

These experiences profoundly shaped the way I think about health, nature, and the knowledge passed down through generations.

Preserving What We Are Losing

After working in the food industry, I also began seeing some of the troubling practices that happen behind closed doors. As major corporations increasingly invest in lab-grown and highly engineered foods; from meat to, more recently, cocoa; I have become increasingly concerned about what this could mean for future generations.

If traditional foods and the methods used to make them disappear, future generations may never know how these foods were originally produced or what they truly tasted like. Without that connection, we lose more than food; we lose culture, knowledge, history, and the ability to compare what came before with what comes next.

That is why preserving traditional food-making methods matters so much to me.

Through years of personal experience and research, I've developed a deep appreciation for nature and its role in human well-being. I've also come to see human existence through a spiritual lens; complex, deeply interconnected, and not easily put into words. Finding simple, clear language to express these ideas remains one of my greatest challenges, but it's one I'm committed to.

Why I Do What I Do?

As the world becomes increasingly chaotic, with physical and mental health challenges affecting more people, being conscious of what we consume feels more important than ever.

What we consume becomes part of us. Whenever possible, choose foods that are quality, nourishing, and functional. If you're on a tight budget, you don't need to spend more; just consume less, but choose better. Take the time to learn about food and where it comes from. That is the best investment you can make in yourself.

Supporting small brands also matters. When you support a small business like ours, you help us bring high-quality, nutritious foods to market while preserving traditional food-processing methods and the knowledge behind them.

My goal is not simply to sell food. It's to preserve what is valuable, create opportunities, and carry traditional knowledge forward for future generations.

There is more to life than profit and status. We are only passengers on this planet for a short time.

The question is: When we leave, will we have made this world a little better than when we found it?

Thank you for being here and for taking the time to learn a little about who I am and why I do what I do.

What's Next?

Functional Foods. Ready-to-cook foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Stay tuned!

08/21/2026

Rice has long had a bad reputation in the West as a high-carbohydrate, high-sugar food, yet it has been consumed across Asia for thousands of years without the health concerns we associate with it today. So why the bad reputation? Americans often single out rice as a problem food, but traditionally, rice was never meant to be eaten alone. A typical Asian meal combines rice with vegetables, herbs, spices, and proteins, all of which affect how the body digests and responds to the carbohydrates. Eating rice as part of a balanced meal is very different from eating a large portion of rice alongside foods typical of the American diet.

Many everyday foods contain naturally occurring compounds that can be harmful in high amounts. Spinach, for example, is relatively high in oxalates. Similarly, arsenic levels in rice vary depending on the soil, variety, and growing conditions. Brown rice generally contains more inorganic arsenic than white rice because the outer bran layers are intact. Soils previously used for crops like cotton, where pesticides were heavily applied, tend to have higher arsenic levels. California-grown rice, for instance, typically contains less arsenic than rice grown in the South.

Fortunately, there is a simple fix. According to FDA research, cooking rice in 6–10 parts water to 1 part rice, bringing it to a boil for 5 minutes, then draining the excess water can reduce inorganic arsenic by 40–60%. This is the traditional cooking method that has been used for thousands of years, though it has largely been forgotten by modern generations.

Mold is another concern worth understanding. Japanese researchers have found that cooked rice quickly becomes a breeding ground for mold once it cools at room temperature. In humid conditions, fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium can develop rapidly, often without any visible signs or odor. The mycotoxins they produce, including aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, are linked to liver damage and other serious health issues even in small amounts.

The solution is straightforward: temperature and timing matter. Cooked rice should never sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Cool it quickly, store it in an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze it promptly. Many people cook a full day's worth of rice in an electric cooker and leave it sitting for hours, which is precisely when mold can develop unseen. Traditionally, rice was cooked fresh for each meal, which is why these problems were rarely seen in the past.

The safest approach is to cook only what you need and eat it fresh. If you use the traditional method of cooking rice with extra water and draining it after boiling, you also reduce arsenic in the process. If you have leftover rice, refrigerate or freeze it immediately to prevent mold growth.

Our food traditions exist for good reason. Understanding and respecting them, rather than taking shortcuts, is how we best support our health.

08/19/2026

In Cambodian culture, most meals include a lemongrass paste called Kreung, made primarily from lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, and shallot. Different dishes may also include fingerroot. Few people question why this paste appears in almost every dish. I didn't either, until I started studying ancient medicine. What I discovered was eye-opening: our ancestors understood that all foods, even vegetables, contain natural defense mechanisms that can trigger chronic inflammation and digestive issues. Given the volume of refined and ultra-processed foods lining grocery store shelves today, not to mention the GMOs, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and antibiotics used in modern food production; the need for this paste is greater than ever.

I have no doubt that our Cambodian ancestors identified this problem and built the solution into their cuisine for future generations. A civilization advanced enough to build Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, complete with sophisticated irrigation systems, clearly understood the medicinal value of food. The herbs and spices in Kreung paste are well known for their anti-inflammatory and digestive properties, among other health benefits. When combined with meat and vegetables, they help counteract the inflammatory effects of those foods while also aiding digestion.

These ingredients have been a staple of Southeast Asian cooking for centuries, and chronic disease was far less common in those times. So what changed? From my observation, the introduction of GMOs, refined, and ultra-processed foods into Asian diets has had a significant impact. Take Palmyra palm sugar as an example. Traditionally, this sugar was used in paste form, made from hand-harvested palm flower sap, carefully collected drop by drop at 80 feet above the ground twice a day, then boiled and stirred into a paste. Diabetes was once rare among Cambodians, now it affects people of all ages, including children. Refined sugar, sugary drinks, fast food, and ultra-processed products are now everywhere. Combined with the chemicals found in everyday personal care and household products, it is no surprise that cancer rates are also rising. With today's busy lifestyles, fewer people find the time to prepare traditional foods or educate themselves on what they're consuming.

As consumers become more informed, the food industry has adapted accordingly. Lobbying efforts have shaped food labeling laws in ways that can mislead consumers. "Pink Salt" is a prime example, most people assume it refers to Himalayan salt, but it is actually a chemical preservative. By law, if a product contains Himalayan salt, that specific name must appear on the packaging.

With so much happening behind the scenes in the food supply chain, it can be hard to keep up. The best approach is to read labels, question ingredients, and stick to traditional foods and methods as much as possible; not perfectly, but consistently.

As the saying goes: we spend our lives making money, only to spend that money on our health.

08/18/2026

My current bout of sciatica has given me a chance to slow down and get some much-needed rest. I’ve been grinding for more than two years to bring these Cambodian products to life; handling everything single-handedly, from product development to sales, and working countless hours, day and night, seven days a week.

My journey has taken me from being a design engineer working on NFL uniforms and NASA medical devices to developing healthy, natural foods while earning less than minimum wage. It’s a path that doesn’t make sense to most people, especially in business circles. It’s difficult to explain and even harder to make people understand, particularly in the world we live in today.

But I believe there is more to life than profit and status. We are only passengers on this planet for a short time.
The question is: When we leave, will we have made this world a little better than when we found it?

Address

Sedro-Woolley, WA
98284

Telephone

+12068528589

Website

http://www.yaynovelty.com/

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