A New York City resident named Aiyanna recently became a viral sensation after sprinting into a Trader Joe’s just 5 minutes before closing time. Her mission was simple: She needed to track down the retailer’s latest freezer aisle obsession, the Mango Sticky Rice. Her frantic search racked up 18.4 million views on her TikTok video, with many amused by her chaotic mission.
The video shows Aiyanna rushing into the store, as she announces, “Trader Joe’s closes in 5 minutes. I need the mango sticky rice. I don’t need a cart.” Then, out of breath, she pulls up to a clearly amused crew member and asks them, “Do you have the mango sticky rice?” She asks him for his review of the product. When he tells her, “It’s alright,” she responds, “Don’t say that. I thought I wasn’t gonna like it at all.”
She admits, “I don’t know. I’m a bit nervous about it being frozen cause I like the fresh kind. I don’t know how I feel about hot mango.” When she spots the dessert, she cackles in delight, even shocking another crew member as she asks, “Can I have 17? No. Okay, not 17. Can I have three, please? Actually, can I have four? Actually, no, for real. Can I have five, please? No. Six. Okay. No, I’m just kidding. Three is good. I don’t wanna be greedy.”
The sweets were calling
As she navigated the final minutes of the shopping trip, the mission quickly spiraled into a full-blown spending spree. Even as she was asking the amused crew for a cartload of sticky rice, she got distracted by the pineapple coconut bars. By the time she reached the checkout, her haul included chips, jelly beans, and Dubai chocolate. She even managed to snag some guava juice with a friendly request: “Queen, can you pass me a guava juice? I love you.”
TikTok seemed to love her entire interaction. One user commented, “The way you ran up to that man just huffing and puffing like DO YOU HAVE THE MANGO STICKY RICE and he sprang into action. understood the assignment lololololol.” Another person chimed in, “Everyone’s moving with urgency I like it.” Recently, a TikToker and crew member went viral for a different reason, finding an unknown item in her Trader Joe’s Hot Honey Popcorn.
According to Real Simple, the Mango Sticky Rice has been a major hit across the country since it hit shelves. It is a traditional Thai dessert featuring sweet, coconut-infused glutinous rice and perfectly ripe mango pieces. The outlet noted that each box includes two servings and packets of fried mung beans for a crunchy finish. It is a win for the store. In April, they were part of a major recall after metal shards were found in bread and pizzas.
While some shoppers have praised the dish, noting that the mango quality exceeded their expectations, others have pointed out a specific issue with the preparation. Because the instructions call for 50 seconds in the microwave, the entire dish—including the fruit—gets quite hot. One Reddit user offered a pro tip to fix this, suggesting that microwaving it for only 40 seconds keeps the rice warm while the mango stays cool.
Unfortunately, Aiyanna was not a fan. In a follow-up video that racked up 1.6 million views, she explained her disappointment: “I wanted to like this mango sticky rice so bad. But nothing could be done. Nothing. I know what it is. So it’s cause the mango is warm. It’s. The mango is too hot.”
Instead of letting the final box go to waste, Aiyanna took it on a walk to a convenience store, grabbed some ice, and staged a little giveaway on a street corner. “I’m not gonna eat it. But maybe somebody else gonna eat it. I don’t know if you want the mango sticky rice. It’s outside of Guac Time. Enjoy it,” she said. One follower managed to nab it not long after.
Everyone also remained highly amused. As one TikToker put it, “confused, stressed, and invested.” Whether you end up loving the Mango Sticky Rice or deciding it is not for you, Aiyanna’s wild shopping adventure certainly made for one of the most memorable snack runs of the year.
Published: Aug 14, 2026 06:18 am