While perusing the condiment aisle of the grocery store, you’ve probably come across the ever-growing array of chili crisp oils, sometimes known as chili crunch oils. Most of them originate in the Sichuan and Guizhou provinces of China, but one of the spicy products was created right here in the River City – Sijang Chili Crunch – by husband and wife, Chris and Kaitlyn Fitzner.
According to Eater, chili crisp oil contains “dried chile peppers as well as additions like garlic, ginger, shallots, scallions, sesame seeds, and sometimes nuts,” which are fried and create the crunchy bits found in the sauce.
Although many seek out chili crisp oil for its taste, Chris began to delve into the world of spicy sauces for health reasons while trying to lose weight. “I was on the grind of meal prepping chicken, broccoli, and kale, and was sick of seeing it,” he says. “I wanted to add condiments that didn’t have sugar or preservatives, and everything I came across was full of that.”
The initial search inspired him to explore chili oils around the world, and given his experience in catering, he decided to try to create something of his own. After sharing it with his wife and neighbors, Fitzner wanted to see if he could turn that into a business. He sent 100 test batches around the country to get feedback and made tweaks from those suggestions. “It took multiple rounds to find the right combination of chili peppers to use without it being overwhelming,” Fitzner recalls.
The couple decided to name the new product Sijang, which means market in Korean. They had used the same name for their earlier catering company that specialized in Korean and Mexican fusion tacos, which included Korean barbecue short ribs with lime, topped with sriracha-lime mayo.
Fitzner decided to first launch Sijang on Amazon since the company has access to people across the country; his logic was that sales would prove to stores that the product was worthwhile. However, getting Amazon to sell the product was not easy. “It’s almost a full-time job,” says Fitzner. But the process was worth it, because Sijang started selling quickly and the pair soon turned to stocking shelves in Richmond at outlets such as Ellwood Thompson’s, Yellow Umbrella Provisions, and Good Foods Grocery. “We pitched our samples, brought our sell sheets, and pitched its versatility, which works well for people who are looking for interesting things to eat,” he says.
Because the concept of chili crunch oils may be new to some palates, Fitzner is in the process of creating a series of videos on Instagram with recipes that showcase the product as an ingredient in everything from cream cheese and crackers to banh mi, tacos, and shrimp and grits.
There are plans to continue with more condiments, but as of right now, the focus is on Sijang and making sure to “highlight foods from around the world,” says Fitzner.
