In 1980, a Vietnamese refugee arrived in Los Angeles and began crafting a new spicy sauce.
40 years later, his sauce has developed a cult following and grown into an $80 million business. His life is the embodiment of the American Dream.
Who's up for a story?
👇👇👇
40 years later, his sauce has developed a cult following and grown into an $80 million business. His life is the embodiment of the American Dream.
Who's up for a story?
👇👇👇
1/ David Tran was born in 1945 in Vietnam.
Beginning around 1975, Tran started experimenting with making spicy sauces, using peppers from his brother's farm and selling the sauces in nearby villages.
The family operation quickly scaled as the sauces gained in popularity.
Beginning around 1975, Tran started experimenting with making spicy sauces, using peppers from his brother's farm and selling the sauces in nearby villages.
The family operation quickly scaled as the sauces gained in popularity.
2/ But in 1978, the Vietnamese government began to crack down on the ethnic Chinese population in Vietnam.
Tran and his family, being of Chinese origin, decided to flee the country.
He soon found himself with thousands of other refugees on a freighter - The Huey Fong.
Tran and his family, being of Chinese origin, decided to flee the country.
He soon found himself with thousands of other refugees on a freighter - The Huey Fong.
3/ After a brief stay in Hong Kong, David Tran was granted asylum in the United States.
At first, he was in Boston, but a conversation with his brother-in-law in Los Angeles would seal his fate.
"Do they have red peppers in Los Angeles?" he asked.
They did, so Tran flew to LA.
At first, he was in Boston, but a conversation with his brother-in-law in Los Angeles would seal his fate.
"Do they have red peppers in Los Angeles?" he asked.
They did, so Tran flew to LA.
4/ Within one month, David Tran had started his company, Huy Fong Foods (named after the freighter that took him out of Vietnam), and was making spicy sauce.
His goal: to bring the flavors of his country and region to these new markets and his fellow immigrants in America.
His goal: to bring the flavors of his country and region to these new markets and his fellow immigrants in America.
5/ He made several spicy sauces, but his signature sauce was inspired by a traditional condiment from a town in Thailand called Si Racha.
The sauce had a simple list of ingredients: chilis, vinegar, salt, sugar, and garlic.
He named it Sriracha after the town in Thailand.
The sauce had a simple list of ingredients: chilis, vinegar, salt, sugar, and garlic.
He named it Sriracha after the town in Thailand.
6/ David Tran began selling the sauce to local Asian restaurants and grocers, giving his pitch and taste tests out of the back of an old, beat up van.
His first HQ was a small bottling facility in LA Chinatown, but the business quickly outgrew its humble beginnings.
His first HQ was a small bottling facility in LA Chinatown, but the business quickly outgrew its humble beginnings.
7/ By 1987, with demand soaring, the business relocated to a 68,000 square foot facility in Rosemead, California.
In 2010, it moved into its current HQ, a sprawling 23 acre compound in Irwindale, California with office, production, and warehouse space.
In 2010, it moved into its current HQ, a sprawling 23 acre compound in Irwindale, California with office, production, and warehouse space.
8/ Along the way, Sriracha sauce became an icon with a cult following.
People dressed up as Sriracha for Halloween. Lexus made a Sriracha car. People tattooed pictures of Sriracha bottles on their bodies.
And in 2009, @BonAppetit Magazine named it its ingredient of the year.
People dressed up as Sriracha for Halloween. Lexus made a Sriracha car. People tattooed pictures of Sriracha bottles on their bodies.
And in 2009, @BonAppetit Magazine named it its ingredient of the year.
9/ Today, Huy Fong Foods generates over $80 million in annual revenue.
It remains family-owned, run primarily by eight members of David Tran's family.
Imitators have come and gone (Tran never trademarked the Sriracha name), but everyone knows the original when they taste it.
It remains family-owned, run primarily by eight members of David Tran's family.
Imitators have come and gone (Tran never trademarked the Sriracha name), but everyone knows the original when they taste it.
10/ David Tran's story is, in many ways, the embodiment of the American Dream.
A refugee who came to America and built an amazing business through sheer effort and creativity.
So next time you put Sriracha on your food, tip the hat to David Tran and his incredible story.
A refugee who came to America and built an amazing business through sheer effort and creativity.
So next time you put Sriracha on your food, tip the hat to David Tran and his incredible story.
11/ For more on this amazing story, check out these articles from @nytimes and @VICE!
nytimes.com/2009/05/20/din…
vice.com/en_us/article/…
nytimes.com/2009/05/20/din…
vice.com/en_us/article/…
12/ And for more educational threads on money, finance, business and economics, check out my meta thread below. Follow along for more!
