Brands · Sri Lanka
A Sri Lankan couple grew their own peppers and built a hot sauce brand sold on three continents
Amali and Chamath started Hotzy during the economic crisis, when many people were leaving the country. They built a polytunnel, grew hot peppers, and spent months testing their first sauce. Hotzy now sells in Australia, the UK and the UAE.
In short
Hotzy is a Sri Lankan hot sauce brand founded by a couple, Amali and Chamath. They began growing hot peppers in 2022 to turn a local crop into a premium product, launched their first sauce, Snake Bite, in September 2023, and reached a much larger audience after a TikTok video went viral. The range now includes hot sauces, Thai sweet chilli, teriyaki sauces, jams and flavour packs, sold in Australia, the UK and the UAE.
The story
Hotzy started in the worst year to start anything in Sri Lanka. In 2022, with the economy in crisis and a steady stream of people leaving, Amali and Chamath stayed and built a polytunnel. Inside it they grew hot peppers, and began working out how a crop that Sri Lanka grows well could become a premium, value-added product rather than a raw one.
The first sauce took months of testing. Snake Bite launched in September 2023: intense heat, natural ingredients, and no artificial colours or flavours. Then a TikTok video went viral, and Hotzy was suddenly in front of a far bigger audience than a founder-led brand normally reaches. That momentum let the couple launch a website, scale production and move the business beyond the two of them.
The range has grown with the demand. Alongside the hot sauces there are Thai sweet chilli and teriyaki sauces, jams, and multi-product flavour packs. Hotzy now sells in Australia, the UK and the UAE, and has picked up awards and ISO certification along the way. The founders' stated aim is for every bottle to carry Sri Lankan flavour and local innovation to dining tables around the world.
Timeline
- 2022Amali and Chamath build a polytunnel and begin growing hot peppers during the economic crisis.
- September 2023Snake Bite, Hotzy's first sauce, launches after months of testing.
- After launchA TikTok video goes viral. Hotzy launches its website and scales production.
- 2026Hotzy sells in Australia, the UK and the UAE, with awards and ISO certification.
Hotzy in numbers
Questions people ask
Who makes Hotzy?
A Sri Lankan couple, Amali and Chamath, who grow their own peppers in a polytunnel they built.
When did Hotzy launch?
The peppers went in during 2022. The first sauce, Snake Bite, launched in September 2023.
Where can you buy it?
Through the brand's website in Sri Lanka, and in Australia, the United Kingdom and the UAE.
What does Hotzy make?
Hot sauces, Thai sweet chilli, teriyaki sauces, jams and flavour packs.