Lao Gan Ma, a major chili sauce maker in China, is a must in kitchens for Chinese living overseas.

But it is hard to imagine that Lao Gan Ma was created by an illiterate village woman in southwest China's Guizhou Province and has developed into a time-honored and world-famous brand.

Tao Huabi, the founder of Lao Gan Ma, was the eighth child in her family.

She shared housework at home since childhood. With limited supplies, she went up the mountains to dig wild vegetables, developed condiments, and mixed them with home-grown chili peppers. Her chili sauces were warmly welcomed by the family members.

Since Tao's husband died of a serious disease in the 1970s, Tao shouldered the family responsibility and tried to make and sell traditional food, including fried rice with egg and spicy rice tofu.

"At that time, I did as much work as that of ten men," the 76-year-old recalled. After carrying a heavy pack basket for a long time, she has problems with her shoulders, lumbar spine and feet.

In 1989, following her friends' advice, Tao opened a small restaurant in Guizhou's capital city Guiyang. The shop was small, with a few tables and chairs, but her business went well.

Tao's dishes were tasty and in good measure, and her homemade chili sauce surprised consumers with its unique taste. She would give them some for free when they left.

As a result of the affordable price, Tao did not make much money. Since the restaurant was close to a school, many students came to her restaurant after school. However, as most of these students were not from well-off families, they often could not pay for the meals.

Tao once experienced hunger and poverty and would make some food for the students without economic returns. Over time, the children felt Tao's warmth and named her "Lao Gan Ma," or godmother in English, which was how the chili sauce brand got its name.

As her restaurant became increasingly crowded and the chili sauce ran low, the village woman persisted in sending the sauce for free despite being advised not to do so.

She did not plan to sell chili sauce at first, but one day when the sauce ran out and the number of customers dropped, she decided to sell it.

In 1994, Tao converted the restaurant into a condiment shop. She had built a reputation for giving away chili sauce for free. After opening, the new shop attracted a lot of customers.

Two years later, Tao ran a factory under her nickname "Lao Gan Ma" and specialized in chili sauce production. She decided to use her portrait as the logo and said that this helps remind her to control product quality and that she cannot lose face.

"Doing business demands a practical business, and step-by-step efforts lead to a great business," said Tao.

Over the past 27 years, Lao Gan Ma has developed into one of the largest chili sauce production enterprises in China, with annual sales of billions of yuan (hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars). They export to 130 countries and regions, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Africa.

In November 2022, Lao Gan Ma made it to the final list of the Most-loved China's Brands Amongst Global Consumers at the Boao Forum for Entrepreneurs held in Boao, south China's Hainan Province.

In the stir-frying workshop of Lao Gan Ma, senior workers told Xinhua about the strict material selection standards. Mushrooms are measured by vernier, and soybeans are picked by sieves. To ensure quality, the peppers must pass at least ten tests, including species selection, purchase, and screening, and every pepper can be traced back to its origin.

According to Li Xin, deputy general manager of the company, Lao Gan Ma purchases more than 40,000 tonnes of dried chilies and over 100,000 tonnes of vegetable oil annually and has 110 raw and auxiliary material suppliers. It produces 21 species of chili sauce, including fried chili in oil, spicy chili crisp, and hotpot seasoning, and has helped 200,000 rural households increase their income.

Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, Lao Gan Ma saw a falling income. Even so, the company continues to invest 10 million yuan (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars) every year for market surveys and new product research and development.

In 2022, Lao Gan Ma invested 40 million yuan to replace a cap that uses a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) cover. "The new caps are safer, healthier, and more environmentally friendly, but the cost increased by 0.06 yuan for each bottle or 180,000 yuan for a daily capacity of 3 million bottles," said Si Huaguang, quality engineer of Lao Gan Ma.

"Lao Gan Ma sticks to the chili sauce industry, which shows that grassroots businesses can succeed with perseverance and craftsmanship," said Ma Guangyuan, a Chinese economist.