Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
“Americus has the ideal type of wood for making chopsticks. The abundant forests of poplar and sweet gum trees in the area strike the perfect balance between hardness and softness.” Now, we’re pretty sure some clean-cut good old boy in a nice suit didn’t visit a delegation of stern Chinese government officials with a beautiful display case of Georgia-made chopsticks and say “What do ya’ll think about these fine, hand-crafted specimens”. But it’s fun to think about exactly how the ironically-named town of Americus, Georgia ended up supplying millions of these essential eating utensils to the world’s largest communist country. In truth, it has everything to do with Korean-born American entrepreneur Jae Lee, who founded Georgia Chopsticks in Americus last year and has made the chopsticks exporting business an amazing and surprising success. (TIME Newsfeed – Georgia Chopsticks for China) The Center for American Progress has more about Jae Lee and his company’s rapid success: Korean-American Opens Doors to China.
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