A fifth-grader who loves ramen has created a unique hand-drawn design that will soon appear on hats, totes, and T-shirts in Greenpoint. Trendy Nabe has chosen this artwork to represent a popular grocery store.
Rosemary “Rosie” Burgess’ seal enjoying ramen clinched this month’s design contest hosted by Jubilee Marketplace, which aimed to inspire its next product line while fostering its vibrant hot pot community.
“I was really surprised. I feel amazing now!” exclaimed Rosie, 10, after winning. Interestingly, she mentioned that her shock came partly because she had, well, forgotten about the contest.
The contest was exclusive to fourth and fifth graders at PS 31, but the whole neighborhood was encouraged to vote for the designs they wanted to see in the new merchandise collection.
During February, shoppers had the chance to express their preferences by placing stickers next to designs displayed on large banners in local supermarkets. Some designs featured iconic Brooklyn imagery, such as the city’s famous water tower and a perspective of Manhattan from Newtown Creek.
Ultimately, the selection was narrowed down to seven finalists, with Rosie garnering 25% of the total 822 votes.
She learned about her victory last week when called into the principal’s office, but Rosie wasn’t anxious about it at all.
As for what inspired her creation, Rosie commented, “I just think seals are super cute.” While her artwork doesn’t directly reference Jubilee Marketplace, she drew from cherished memories to depict what her seal was indulging in—specifically, the spicy ramen that her mom loves to get after school.
Rosie, whose interests include drawing and animals, decided to include a blue hat on her seal simply because, well, seals are often found in colder regions.
The contest was initiated by Young Kim, the owner of Jubilee, who wanted to give back to the community in a meaningful way. “What could be better than showcasing a student’s artwork?” he mused, mentioning plans to open a Greenpoint store this year and recognizing the community’s support in making it happen.
Kim emphasized that the support he received inspired him to contribute back, particularly as he has gained a reputation for keeping food prices affordable in an otherwise upscale market.
Jubilee’s product line launched in 2025 was wildly successful, nearly rivaling local favorites like Trader Joe’s tote bags, which prompted residents to urge him for more products in the new year.
Instead of compensating a designer with $1,000, Kim donated that amount to the culinary arts program at PS 31, noted as the school’s first extracurricular initiative allowing students to cook.
Rosie also received a $500 gift card to a nearby bookstore, which she plans to spend on stickers.
The six other finalists didn’t leave empty-handed either; each walked away with a $100 gift card.
Kim is collaborating with a local print shop to create the merchandise and anticipates that production will ramp up in the next six weeks.
Even after the contest concludes, Kim plans to continue his generosity. He doesn’t intend to keep any profits. Instead, he aims to donate them to PS 31 and a rotating selection of local charities and food pantries.
“I believe in creating win-win situations for everyone involved, allowing us to support schools and other organizations,” Kim shared.
For him, the hardest part of the entire contest was selecting the winners, a task he delegated to school staff and his customers.
Thousands of fourth- and fifth-grade students submitted designs, but he entrusted the school to narrow them down to the top seven, which were then displayed in the store for public voting.
Customers had the opportunity to vote with star stickers and through social media, and it soon became clear that Rosie’s “Ramen Eating Seal” was a favorite among them.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to make a choice. They were all really good. If I had made the call, I might have pushed back the release to next year,” Kim admitted.
