More Than a Supermarket
What started in 1981 as a solution to a simple problem has grown into one of Ireland's largest suppliers of Asian food.
The Pau family founded Asia Market to help local Asian restaurants and takeaways find the authentic ingredients they needed without relying on imports from the UK. Over four decades later, that same focus on authenticity remains at the heart of what we do.
Today, we serve home cooks, restaurants, caterers and retailers across Ireland, with thousands of products spanning Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Korean, Philippine and other international cuisines.
Our Journey in Numbers
Founder story
It Started With a Gap in the Market
In 1981, brothers Howard, Albert and Spencer Pau saw a growing need in Ireland. Asian restaurants and takeaways were struggling to find authentic ingredients and often had to source products from the UK.
Their answer was Asia Market.
The first store opened at 30 Drury Street in Dublin. A delivery van soon followed, allowing the business to supply restaurants and food businesses beyond the shop.
What began with a small team, a single location and a clear purpose became the foundation for Asia Market today.
Timeline: From One Dublin Shop to Ireland-Wide
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1981: Asia Market begins
The Pau brothers open the first Asia Market at 30 Drury Street, Dublin, supplying authentic Asian ingredients to restaurants and takeaways.
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1983: Growing beyond Dublin
The business expands to Belfast while delivery routes extend to cities including Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick.
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1991–1995: A bigger home
Growing demand led to the acquisition of larger premises at 18 Drury Street, which officially opened in 1995.
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2006: Ballymount
Asia Market moves into the former Tayto factory in Ballymount, creating a combined retail, cash-and-carry and warehouse operation.
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2014–2016: Growing the business
The business expands further, including the opening of the Duck Restaurant and major improvements to both Ballymount and Drury Street.
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2017: Asia Market goes online
The launch of the e-commerce platform brings Asia Market's extensive range to customers across Ireland.
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2022: Hong Kong Wonton Opens
Hong Kong Wonton opened in 2022, replacing the Duck Restaurant and continuing Asia Market's connection to authentic Asian food and dining.
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Today: Still growing
Asia Market continues as a family-run business, supplying customers across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland.
Authentic Ingredients. Real Flavours.
We believe that great Asian cooking starts with the right ingredients.
Our range includes fresh, frozen, dried and canned foods alongside sauces, spices, snacks, drinks, kitchenware and household essentials. We source products from trusted suppliers so that customers can find the ingredients they need to cook dishes from across Asia.
Whether you're making your first bowl of ramen, recreating a family recipe or running a professional kitchen, we're here to help you find the right ingredients.
Ireland-wide supply
From Our Warehouse to Kitchens Across Ireland
Asia Market serves customers across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland.
- 6 runs a day, 80+ routes, 5 days a week.
- 210k+ kms of coverage
- 30+ fleet of vans & trucks across Ireland
Our distribution operation supplies restaurants, takeaways and catering businesses, while our retail stores and online shop make Asian ingredients accessible to home cooks.
With a fleet of vans and trucks supporting our delivery operation, we continue to connect customers across Ireland with the products they need.
A Family Business, Built for the Future
Asia Market remains a family-run business, now guided by the second generation of the Pau family.
While the business has changed significantly since 1981, our purpose remains familiar: make authentic Asian food more accessible in Ireland.
From our first shop on Drury Street to our stores, warehouse, wholesale operation and online shop, we continue to build on the foundations laid by the Pau family more than four decades ago.
