Hidden Gems: Meet Saaum Chim of Sister Suy’s

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Saaum Chim.

Hi Saaum, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today? In 2023, my husband Bobby and I decided to start a business — and hot sauce felt like the obvious choice. Every time we went out to eat, we’d end up asking for hot sauce… and leaving saying, “We should’ve brought our own.” We were already making sauces at home — mine rooted in Cambodian flavor, and Bobby’s bold Liberian pepper sauce, with his Lebanese side always adding olives, vinegar, or zest to the mix.

We knew we had something special — not just in flavor, but in story. And we knew exactly who to call: my eldest sister, Suy. She raised me after we lost our mom when I was four and had been cooking for over 50 years, carrying our family’s food memories without a written recipe in sight. When we asked her to help us blend our three heritages into one sauce, she lit up.

I’d spent most of my life being asked, “What does Cambodian food taste like?” I used to say, “It’s kind of like Thai,” because it was easier — but I always knew Cambodia had its own voice. This sauce became a way to finally give it one.

We officially launched Sister Suy’s in April 2025 with a 5,000-bottle batch and our online shop. Today, we’re in our first store — The Peach Stand in Fort Mill, SC — doing tastings, building community, and spreading the word.

More than a condiment, this is our way of honoring the overlooked culinary legacies that shaped us — and celebrating how powerful a blend of heritage can be.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome? Smooth road? Not even close — but that’s part of building something real.

We’re a working couple who started Sister Suy’s with no outside funding, no deep pockets, and no full-time team. We’ve bootstrapped everything — from our first batch to our tasting table setup. No startup capital. No agency. Just two people and a mission.

Even finding a co-packer came with hurdles. We spoke to three, and the fish sauce in our recipe proved tricky for the first two. Fortunately, Scale Food Labs was responsive and willing to work with the ingredients that make our sauce what it is — bold, heritage-rich, and culturally specific.

Amazon’s onboarding process introduced its own set of challenges — from unexpected packaging requirements to label placement issues. It’s been a learning curve, and our first shipment still hasn’t arrived as planned (fingers crossed, no more surprises).

Due to our limited budget, we’re reserving most of our paid efforts for Amazon PPC once our product goes live. Everything else has been organic — storytelling, tastings, and grassroots word-of-mouth. We’ve dabbled in small post boosts and started testing a few paid opportunities through sponsorships and events, but we’re moving carefully and intentionally.

As for influencer marketing, we’re focused on partnerships with folks who genuinely support small businesses — and are happy to share their love for our sauce in exchange for product, not paychecks.

It’s been scrappy, humbling, and full of pivots. But we’re building something with heart. And we believe that kind of foundation holds.

As you know, we’re big fans of Sister Suy’s . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand? Sister Suy’s is a heritage-driven food brand inspired by the flavors my family eats at home — where Cambodian, Liberian, and Lebanese influences blend naturally, because that’s who we are.

We specialize in small-batch hot sauces crafted with bold, balanced flavor: tangy from tamarind, sweet from pineapple and palm sugar, umami-rich from fish sauce and garlic, spicy from chilies and habaneros, and brightened with Mediterranean zest — a nod to my husband’s Lebanese roots. Our sauces are deeply layered, unapologetically global, and designed to wake up your food and your senses.

What sets us apart is our commitment to preserving our underrepresented culinary legacies. Our recipes aren’t pulled from trends — they’re passed down through memory. The foundation is Cambodian — rooted in the flavor memory of my sister Suy, who raised me after our mother passed — and layered with the Liberian heat and Lebanese brightness my husband grew up with. Together, we don’t just blend ingredients — we tell a story with every drop.

Right now, we offer two sauces: 🌶 Heritage Heat – bold, tangy, and spicy with a lingering kick 🌶 Mellow Spice – sweet heat with a smooth, savory finish

We use natural ingredients, and no artificial color. We’re proud to be in our first retail store, The Peach Stand in Fort Mill, SC — and even prouder to carry our culture forward, one bottle at a time.

At Sister Suy’s, this isn’t just hot sauce. It’s heritage. And it’s time the world tastes it.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to? Sister Suy’s may have started with an idea, but it’s been built by a village — family, friends, mentors, and generous hearts who believed in us before we were even on shelves.

My husband, Bobby, has been instrumental — he handled all the backend work, from trademark filings to our LLC, tax setup, and ongoing retail outreach. He’s also the inspiration behind the Liberian and Lebanese layers of our flavor story.

My sister Suy is the culinary force behind it all — she crafted the sauce from memory, and we just gave her feedback. Her husband, Teu, helped track ingredients and offered thoughtful analysis after our first blind tasting.

My nieces have been true champions for us. In Philly, Panharee has shared our story with her fans, spread the word throughout her network, and helped sell our two signature sauces in her city. Panhara has been equally instrumental — helping conduct research, attending every tasting, and lending her talent as a photographer to capture our journey and support our launches. And to our dear friend Lea, whose support has been nothing short of extraordinary — she not only planned, hosted, and managed our second blind tasting in Philly, but also drove all the way to Fort Mill, SC to cater our soft launch in March 2025. I’m filled with gratitude and deeply humbled by their belief in our journey. These are just a few of the many beautiful souls who have lifted us up — there are others I can’t name here, but please know you’re felt and appreciated.

Outside of family, I’ve had generous mentors. Monica, a longtime entrepreneur and co-founder of a ginger beer brand in 160+ Whole Foods stores, has shared invaluable lessons from her CPG journey. John Blomberg, a professor at Winthrop and part of the SBDC Rock Hill, has offered consistent, thoughtful guidance from day one — helping us navigate the complexities of launching and growing a food business.

And a big thank you to my friend Teresa in Philly, who has helped with our LinkedIn presence and outreach — making sure our story reaches the right people.

Sister Suy’s isn’t just a brand. It’s a family-built, community-backed dream. And every person above helped shape it into what it is today.

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