After years of reviewing food on TikTok, Keith Lee has made his first investment in a culinary brand.
He’s now an official shareholder in Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, the Asian fusion chain that has 22 restaurant locations across the U.S. and Canada and sells frozen dumplings through Walmart and Costco.
“I’ve always believed that food brings people together, and that’s what stood out to me about Brooklyn Dumpling Shop,” Lee said in a statement. “It’s creative, it’s accessible, and it doesn’t cut corners on flavor. Partnering with Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is about more than just great food, it’s about community, culture, and creating experiences people can enjoy and trust. I’m excited to be part of what they’re building and to help introduce even more people to something special.”
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Lee, who was a pro MMA fighter before joining TikTok in 2020, has over 20 million followers across platforms and is known for his no-nonsense approach to food reviewing, including refusing special treatment from restaurants. (He’s also known for the “Keith Lee effect,” where spots he posts about positively see an increased flow of customers.)
His investment in Brooklyn Dumpling Shop (the financial specifications of which are not being made public) also comes with a multi-year content partnership. To kick that off, Lee will make an appearance at the brand’s Dallas location March 6; then, on May 16, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop will be a featured vendor at Lee’s inaugural food festival FamiLee Day in New Orleans.
Jeff Galletly, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop’s CEO and Chairman, said the brand wanted to work with Lee because “as our team thought about who else would be a dream addition […] every one of us said ‘Keith Lee.'”
“Keith has built his reputation on great food, authenticity, and trust–which is what we’re all about. When we connected with Keith’s team, it was then a dream come true to learn he loved our food and wanted to make us his first investment. It validated the strength of our brand, products, and long-term vision,” Galletly added. “As we continue to expand across North America, having a globally recognized partner who not only drives organic demand, but also understands taste, quality, and what consumers want, strengthens our value proposition for our team, fans, franchisees, retailers, and investors, and will allow more people to try our incredible food.”
Content creators becoming investors isn’t new–in fact, it’s an increasingly popular model for creators who want to build revenue streams outside of platform income.
What we’re curious with here is whether Brooklyn Dumpling Shop will see its own injection of the “Keith Lee effect,” and how its ongoing partnership with Lee will show up in his digital content. It’s already appeared in one of his newest videos–a taste test posted earlier this week:
https://www.tiktok.com/@keith_lee125/video/7611362577574006046
