About
Hei Ma (formerly known as Big Spoon Sauce Co.) started as a tiny chili crisp project in a Brooklyn apartment back in 2019 by Lani Chan (hi) and Nathan Bender, just two Northern California kids trying to recreate the flavors we loved from Cantonese home cooking, years spent abroad in China, and our adventures through New York’s three Chinatowns.
When we returned to California and made Sonoma County our home in 2020, everything clicked. We were suddenly surrounded by small-scale farmers, wild ingredients, and adventurous diners, but little access to the regional Asian flavors we missed most. We felt that this was the perfect place to build a sauce brand that celebrated the flavors we craved, Chinese culinary traditions, and peak-season produce.
We mixed our first batches by hand, jarred them up for friends, and eventually scaled the recipe in 2021 to raise funds for AAPI-led community relief efforts during a time when our elders were being targeted. That moment shaped a lot of what this brand has become: community-driven, culturally rooted, and grown with heart.
We’ve been hand-mixing batches in rented kitchens ever since.
An update on the plot twists of 2025
First, Nate and I made the decision to separate both personally and professionally. As part of that process, Nate stepped away from the business, and I’ve taken on full ownership and day-to-day leadership. I’m grateful for the foundation we built together and wish him the best in his next chapter. If you’d like, you can read Nate’s statement on this transition here.
Second, we were legally mandated by another company to rebrand the business. While this wasn’t on my bingo card for the year, I’m looking at it as an opportunity to evolve, refresh, and think more intentionally about where to head next.
Moving forward, this chili crisp project will be known as Hei Ma.
The task of renaming the business felt enormous. We threw a ton of names at the wall, but what stuck was the energy and symbolism of the dark horse.
This year brought several setbacks, the kind that could have marked the end of this story. But here's the thing about our product: first timers always comment how surprised they are by the flavor, the texture, and the versatility. They'll often come back for a second jar soon after they purchase the first because they can't stop finding excuses to eat it. Our longtime customers always tell us that on a shelf full of chili oil, ours is the one they reach for first.
The chili crisp that comes out of our kitchen is a dark horse. It's a quiet contender in the sauce category that surprises at every turn, outperforms expectations, and is still full of hidden potential.
After a year of plot twists, we are re-emerging as Hei Ma. The name is a nod to our Chinese heritage, a playful wink to our structure as a woman-owned and women-led business, and a little hat tip to my being born the year of the Horse.
We're entering the year of the Fire Horse. This combination is associated with momentum, renewed motivation, bold moves, and adventure. It's a perfect time to enter a chapter that feels earned.
Come hang
Throughout this transition, we’re still cooking, jarring, labeling, and packing orders every week. If you are Sonoma County, come say hi on a Sunday at the Sebastopol farmers market, check out our list of retailers, and keep up with us on Instagram to learn about upcoming events and new product releases. This brand has always been powered by community. Thank you for keeping it going!
Hope to see you soon.
-L