Prickly ash leaves

In the early morning light at Daguan Zhuanxin Farmers’ Market in Kunming, fragrant willow herb glistens with dew on the vendors’ stalls, culantro fills the air with its sharp, spicy aroma, and pickled vegetable paste exudes a rich, mellow tang. The savory depth of Tuodong soy sauce, the fiery allure of Danshan chili blend, and the fermented richness of Lunan fermented bean curd intertwine, weaving the most vivid tapestry of Kunming’s street-level flavors. 

Culantro and long coriander

Empowered by market forces, government policies, and technological advances, these everyday Yunnan “small condiments” have spurred a thriving “major industry” built around the region’s unique highland specialties.

As a time-honored brand, Tuodong Soy Sauce has taken root in Kunming with its 341-year-old traditional brewing techniques, a legacy inherited from Yongxiangzhai Soy Sauce Factory dating back to the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Fermented under the sun and dew for 100 days, highland soybeans mature with deep-well spring water into a deep amber sauce with a robust, savory fragrance, a salty umami taste, and a sweet aftertaste — the very soul of cold rice noodle salads and braised stir-fries.

Today, this century-old Chinese brand has invested 300 million yuan to build a modern garden-style factory in the High-Tech Zone, adopting internationally advanced disc-type koji cultivation, 250-ton constant-temperature fermentation, and intelligent bottling technologies to achieve fully automated production. In 2025, Tuodong Soy Sauce partnered with Shanghai’s time-honored Santian Foods to launch an organic matsutake soy sauce. Leveraging the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Shanghai-Yunnan cooperation framework, the partnership successfully introduced the century-old Yunnan flavor to the East China market, with its products now exported overseas.

Litsea root

Yunnan’s signature seasonings stand out for their pure, natural flavors.

A benchmark in the commercialization of Yunnan flavors, Danshan Dipping Sauce started as a street-side stall in Kunming in 1991. The company was formally established in 1998 and has since grown into a modern enterprise integrating R&D, production, and sales. Using carefully selected premium ingredients such as Qiubei chili peppers, Zhaotong Sichuan peppercorns, and lemongrass, the brand has created a unique blend with a distinctive spicy, numbing, savory, and aromatic profile. It serves not only as an essential dip for grilled and boiled dishes but has also expanded into new categories, including hot pot bases and dry pot seasonings.

Catapulted to nationwide fame through e-commerce livestreaming, Danshan Dipping Sauce now achieves annual sales of over 100 million yuan. Its success has driven the development of chili and spice cultivation bases in Jinning, Shilin, and other areas, establishing a collaborative “enterprise + base + farmer” integrated model.

A full range of condiments is available.

Yunnan specialties such as Lunan fermented bean curd, pickled vegetable paste, and litsea cubeba oil have grown popular for their natural, authentic flavors. Drawing on Yunnan’s reputation as the “Kingdom of Plants,” local enterprises have combined wild ingredients like willow herb and culantro with mountain produce such as litsea cubeba, integrating traditional brewing and modern extraction technologies to develop new products including litsea cubeba soy sauce, willow herb seasoning sauce, and blended pickled vegetable paste.

These products retain the essence of wild ingredients while catering to modern dining and home cooking needs, turning niche Yunnan flavors into popular specialty condiments loved by the public.

 Yunnan's unique wild ingredients: passion fruit, tree tomatoes, and papaya.

Wild garlic

Black cardamom and star anise

The rise of this industry would not have been possible without government policy support. In 2026, Kunming plans to integrate the green food and flavor & fragrance industrial chains into its “10+N” industrial chain development framework, focusing on targeted investment promotion, nurturing anchor enterprises, and driving upgrades across the entire value chain. This will lay a solid foundation for the sustained growth and expansion of the industry.

Yunnan's "small condiments" fuel a major highland industry.

Treasures lie hidden in the mountains and fields, and craftsmanship breathes new life into them. Today, Kunming’s condiments are evolving from traditional flavorings into a distinctive industry, embodying the fusion of “time-honored flavors and modern enterprises.” Driven by constant innovation, these seasonings infused with Yunnan’s essence are stepping out of the mountains, spreading across China and onto the global stage. (Kunming Daily, Yang Min)

Click here to view the Chinese report

(Editors: Doe, Flynn)