Where to buy Chinese seasonings for restaurants: catalogue and sourcing guide

Looking for seasonings for a Chinese kitchen, hotpot restaurant or a new dish?

A Chinese restaurant kitchen may need several types of bean sauce, soy sauce and other sauces on the same list. A restaurant adding a new dish may only be seeking a few initial ingredients to test a recipe. Start with the dishes your kitchen actually serves and the products the chef has chosen.

If you already use a specific product, photos of the front label and packaging specifications will help identify it faster than a generic name. If you have not selected a product, note the seasoning category and how the kitchen plans to use it when talking to the supplier. You do not need a long list straight away; first identify the exact items that define your dishes.

Oyster sauce, soy sauce and other sauces: what can you find at SACHUN?

SACHUN has a dedicated Chinese seasonings catalogue, currently containing 107 items. Buyers can search products bearing the Lee Kum Kee and Haday brands, alongside various bean sauces, oyster sauces and other sauces, using the names shown in the catalogue.

Below are some products to start your search. Click a product name to see its code and specifications, then compare them with the product currently used in your kitchen.

Why is “Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce” not specific enough?

One brand can have several product ranges. The SACHUN catalogue, for example, lists both special oyster sauce and vegetarian oyster-style sauce. Simply writing “Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce” can lead buyer and seller to understand different products, even when both identify the brand correctly.

A clear order line should include the full product name, brand, packaging and quantity. If the kitchen has approved a specific item code, keep that code on the reorder list. When changing product lines, purchasing staff should consult the chef first, especially for ingredients tied to a dish's recipe.

A brand name is not a substitute for the origin information on each product. To identify the place of manufacture, check the actual product label and the information provided by the supplier.

Choose packaging based on consumption, not just large or small sizes

A kitchen using one sauce across many dishes has different needs from a kitchen using it for one seasonal dish. Suitable packaging must match consumption and the product's storage instructions after opening.

For restaurants with multiple branches, consider how goods will be split. A case delivered to the central warehouse may not be as convenient as pack units suited to each site. Agreeing on pack sizes from the start helps receiving staff and chefs check products and prevents order quantities changing merely because a different person places the order.

Sourcing Chinese seasonings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

You can source from a specialist in one brand or a supplier covering several product groups. A specialist is worth considering when the kitchen focuses on a few particular lines; a multi-category supplier may suit a restaurant that also buys dry goods, Vietnamese seasonings and international ingredients.

To choose a source, start by looking up the products your kitchen uses most. Then discuss the receiving address, purchasing frequency and the items that must remain unchanged. Customers can learn about SACHUN at Hà Nội and Ho Chi Minh City; supply arrangements are agreed according to actual requirements.

From the dish to the product you need to buy

A good list helps chefs, buyers and suppliers speak the same language. Instead of simply writing “Chinese seasonings”, save the selected products as your restaurant's own purchasing list. When changing dishes or testing recipes, add only the relevant items.

At SACHUN, start with Chinese seasonings catalogue. If your kitchen combines several cuisines, also see imported seasonings suppliers for restaurants. Stock status, actual labels and terms for each item are confirmed when discussing with SACHUN.