Journey to bring Vietnamese chili to international market
DNO - Chili, which is familiar in Vietnamese family meals, has now become a source of inspiration for many young people to start businesses and export products to demanding markets.
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Recognizing the reality that most Vietnamese agricultural products are sold fresh at unstable prices, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hien, who is now CEO & Founder of Chilica Fresh Chili Sauce, decided to find a different direction for Vietnamese agricultural products.
He chose chili - an agricultural product that often falls into the situation of "good harvest, low price" - to apply breakthrough technology.
Breaking away from conventional methods, Mr. Hien researched natural fermentation techniques to preserve the authentic flavor of fresh chili. He boldly invested over VND 50 billion in building a factory in Ho Chi Minh City and sourced chili raw materials from Dong Thap, a locality with a geographical indication for chili cultivation.
Chilica's production process follows a closed-loop model, with more than 16 steps from harvest to processing, ensuring the removal of pesticide residues, and preserving the flavor of fresh chili by natural fermentation method without cooking, artificial coloring, or synthetic flavorings.
The result is high-quality fermented chili sauce jars now exported to many demanding markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, South Korea and the Middle East, with an annual output of about 20 tonnes.
Mr. Hien plans to expand production to his hometown of Da Nang where labor resources and raw material planning are favorable.
Besides large-scale enterprises, many cooperatives and smallholder farmers are also contributing to adding value to chili peppers. A notable example is Vo Thi Le in Go Noi who has been producing chili paste and satay to diversify products and enhance income.
The export potential of Vietnamese chili was confirmed during a visit by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of South Korea (NACF) and the South Korea Chili Association in September 2025.
According to Mr. Hong Seong Ju, Chairman of the South Korea Chili Association, Vietnamese chili, especially Go Noi chili, grows well with a rich flavor, very suitable for international tastes.
In the context of South Korea facing an aging population and a decreasing number of chili farmers, its reliance on imported chili from Vietnam continues to increase. This is a challenge for South Korean agriculture, but a great opportunity for Vietnamese farmers and businesses to expand cooperation.
Mr. Hong Seong Ju emphasized that once Vietnamese chili consistently meets international standards for food safety and quality, it will secure a stronger foothold in the Korean market, where demand remains exceptionally high.