Ammericans have access to food from all over the world at reasonable prices. That's not true in much of the world, where anything being shipped in costs a lot more than native goods.
It's something many of us take for granted as our local grocery stores routinely have items from across the globe at reasonable prices.
ENI DIST Inc. has been a major part of that, bringing Asian food to much of the country. That may be at risk, as the essential supplier of Korean and Southeast Asian food has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
That's a huge blow to about half of the United States, which has been supplied by the company.
“ENI DIST, Inc. imports and distributes authentic Asian food from South Korea and Southeast Asia. Our goal is to provide customers with quality Asian food through efficient and trustworthy service and to ensure a satisfactory customer experience,” the company shared on its website.
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It has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the District of Maryland. Based in Essex, Md. (Baltimore County), the company operates from its location at 8805 Kelso Dr. ENI DIST. reported assets and liabilities both in the range of $10M-$50M with an estimated 1-49 creditors.
Funds will be available for distribution to unsecured creditors after administrative expenses, according to the filing.
Chapter 11 filing may impact your grocery store
ENI has not shared any comments as to why it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It's likely that tariffs played a part in the filing.
Many of the company's goods come in from South Korea, which has been hit by a 15% import tariff. The rest of the region has faced similar increases.
The importer does not break down its mix of good shipped by country.
“ENI DIST, Inc. currently services wholesale distributors, chain retailers, foodservice distributors, and independent supermarkets. Our warehouse manages dry, refrigerated, and frozen products, as well as container drop shipments. ENI's local and container sales teams are working hard to ensure that our products are delivered to the right place at the right time to meet the needs of our consumers,” it shared.
The company's business has become more expensive to operate due to President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Importing Goods into the United States from South Korea and Southeast Asia
U.S. Import Tariffs (As of August 7, 2025)
Tariffs by Country:
- South Korea: 15%: New 2025 trade deal
- Vietnam: 20%: Broad U.S. tariff increase
- Indonesia: 19%: New general tariff policy
- Philippines: 19%: No FTA with U.S.
- Thailand: 18–20%: Standard MFN + new tariffs
- Malaysia: 18–20%: Similar to Thailand
- Singapore: 0%: USSFTA still in effect
- Cambodia: 19–21%: Higher on apparel/textiles
- Laos: 20%: No special trade benefits
- Brunei: 18%: Low trade volume
ENI gives Americans access to more products
While ENI DIST. intends to reorganize, if it failed, much of the United States would lose access to products from Korea and Southeast Asia.
The company covers much of the United States, including nearly all of both coasts.
“We distribute products to a variety of locations around the United States. We currently distribute to FL, GA, IL, MD, NJ, NY, TX, and VA through our local sales team. Our container sales team delivers directly to your business through the ports in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, New York, Oakland, Savannah, and Seattle,” it posted on its website.
ENI distributes its own private label brands and some of Southeast Asia's best-known brands.
- Myung Ga: The first private brand of ENI DIST. In Korean, “myung ga” means a reputable family. We named it to represent the finest quality and ingredients, just like a family's reputation.
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Uhchon coop: A brand built to deliver fresh seafood from Korean fishing villages directly to consumers' dishes. You will be able to taste the freshness of the sea through the Uhchon coop Brand.
- National brands include: OurHome, Jinju, Samyang, Crown, Orion, Woongjin, and more.
ENI DIST. has not shared any funding plans for its Chapter 11 bankruptcy financing. The company has continued to operate.
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