Our Story
It started with a missing flavour.
In 1994, Andy Tran was looking for a chili oil he couldn’t seem to find in Saskatoon: something with a clear, bold chili flavour that paired well with the Asian dishes he loved. Too often, the products on the market had the taste of oil overshadow the chili itself.
He wanted the chili to come first. That idea became the beginning of Saigon Hot Sauce. Andy started selling his chili oil out of his mother’s restaurant, Saigon Rose, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
It was a modest beginning, rooted in his Vietnamese heritage and a straightforward belief: a good sauce should make you look forward to the next bite.
From one chili oil to four ways to add flavour.
Our flagship product, Oil ’n Chili, has been part of our story since the beginning. But over the past few years, we expanded the lineup to include Chili Garlic, Sambal Oelek and our own Sriracha sauce.
Each brings something different to the table, but they share the same purpose: letting the flavour of chili come through.
That might mean a spoonful of chili oil over noodles, Chili Garlic stirred into a marinade, or Sriracha alongside American barbecue. Our roots are Vietnamese, and we love seeing how people make our sauces part of their own cooking.
We taste, test and pay attention to the details.
Heat is only one part of a sauce. Texture, acidity and spice all affect how it tastes on its own—and how it works with food.
We’re involved in tasting and testing every sauce, looking for a balance where those elements work together. We pay attention to how a sauce pours, how it feels in each bite and how its flavour holds up over time.
Getting that balance right matters to us.
Still a family story.
Andy remains closely involved in the everyday work behind Saigon, and his family now helps share its story.
From those first sales at Saigon Rose to the four sauces we offer today, our goal remains familiar: bring real chili flavour to the food people already love.
We’d love to hear what’s on your table—and which Saigon sauce you’re reaching for.