Founder Interview: Phuong Ho of Phuong's Pepper Paste on Turning a Homemade Chili Sauce Into a Growing Food Brand

Some of the best food brands weren't planned. They were requested.

Phuong Ho had been making the same chili sauce at home for years. She'd share it with friends. Then friends started asking her to make it for them. Then friends offered to pay.

When she finally bottled a batch, it sold out. And in a matter of months, that homemade sauce made it onto the menu at Balboa Cafe — a San Francisco institution that has been operating since 1913. We sat down with Phuong to talk about turning a personal recipe into a real brand, the surprising power of samples, and what it feels like to see your name printed on the menu of a legacy restaurant.

Phuong's Pepper Paste

Founder: Phuong Ho · Launched: February 2024 · Category: Food and CPG

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The Interview

The Product and Audience: What is Phuong's Pepper Paste and who is it for?

Phuong's Pepper Paste is a homemade-style chili oil designed to make almost any meal better. It's spicy without trying to be the hottest sauce on the shelf, making it versatile enough to use across all kinds of dishes. The brand is built for people who love flavorful, spicy food and want a sauce that feels homemade rather than overly processed or intimidating.

The Spark: When did you launch, and what made you say "I need to build this"?

The business started with something I had already been doing for years: making my pepper paste at home. I regularly shared the sauce with other people, and eventually, they started asking me to make it for them. Some even offered to pay for the sauce or simply cover the cost of the ingredients. That demand made the opportunity hard to ignore. After bottling and selling an initial batch, we quickly sold through the first order. That's when I realized this could be more than just a recipe shared with friends. It could become a real business.

The Launch: When did you launch and how did you create pre-launch buzz?

Phuong's Pepper Paste officially began selling shortly after we formed our LLC in February of last year. Instead of spending heavily on traditional marketing, we focused on getting the product into people's hands. We gave away small samples before the official launch. The result was almost immediate. Every person who received a sample ended up buying a jar once the product became available. Sometimes the simplest form of marketing is letting people taste the product for themselves.

The First 100: How did you find your first customers?

The first 100 customers came from my warm market and the people connected to it. Friends, coworkers, and people we already knew were the starting point. Those early customers didn't just buy the product. They shared it with friends and family, helping the brand grow through word of mouth. That personal recommendation became one of the biggest drivers of early growth.

The Advice: What would you tell a first-time founder in their first 90 days?

Go all in. Founders need to believe in themselves while also understanding that the journey won't always be smooth. Consistency matters just as much as confidence. Things will go wrong, but the key is to keep moving forward, stay committed, and refuse to give up.

The Reality Check: What is the hardest part of this journey that people don't see on social media?

It's work. Every day, there is something new to figure out, including things you couldn't have known when you first started. Running a growing food business requires being prepared for things to go wrong, knowing when to pivot, and being willing to ask for help. I also recommend finding mentors and staying open to feedback. The parts of entrepreneurship that happen behind the scenes may not be glamorous, but they are where most of the learning happens.

The Milestone: What has been your biggest "we made it" moment so far?

My biggest milestone came recently when my sauce was added to a menu item at Balboa Cafe in San Francisco, with Phuong's Pepper Paste also being named directly on the menu. Balboa Cafe was founded in 1913 and is a longtime San Francisco institution. For our first restaurant collaboration to be with such a well-known local business was a major validation. What started as a homemade sauce shared with friends had officially made its way into a legacy restaurant.

The AI Trend: How have you used AI to help your business grow?

We haven't started using AI yet. We're not opposed to it, but we want to better understand how it could genuinely benefit the business before bringing it into our workflow. For now, we're taking a thoughtful approach rather than using AI simply because it's becoming popular.

The Horizon: What should we be excited to see from Phuong's Pepper Paste in the next six months?

There are several new products in development, along with new partnerships that we aren't ready to announce just yet. The new products have already been tested and received very positive feedback. For now, we're keeping the details under wraps, but there is plenty more coming.

The Recommendations: What are your favorite under-the-radar brands right now?

CPG: Urban Flavors Gourmet

The Shop: Where can readers find Phuong's Pepper Paste?

Shop directly at phuongspepperpaste.com, or find the brand on Etsy.

The Connection: Where is the best place to follow along?

Follow along on Instagram at @phuongspepperpaste, or visit phuongspepperpaste.com.