1492: Why our sauce is called Aji

Every Aji bottle carries a phonetic transcription: [a.ˈxi]. The name is pronounced "Achi", with a soft "ch" as in the Scottish "loch". But where does the word come from?

An entry in the logbook

When Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean in 1492, he learned from the Taíno about a fruit they used in almost every dish: the chili pepper. In his logbook he noted it under the name the locals used: "ají". The Spanish brought the peppers to Europe, and within a few decades chilis had spread from Portugal to India. In South America the chili is still called ají today, and ají sauces are on every table there.

From South America to Bremen

Our idea was a sauce that embraces this food culture: not just heat, but a dip and topping that transforms a dish. Aji was created in Bremen, in a kitchen, not in a laboratory. The base is sun-ripened tomatoes, rapeseed oil, garlic and spices; the heat comes solely from real chili peppers. No flavourings, no preservatives, no added sugar, and everything vegan.

The Hanseatic city in the name

Bremen has always been a city of overseas trade – coffee, tobacco, spices. So a chili sauce with a Caribbean name coming from Bremen fits better than it sounds at first. Today Aji is produced by a partner in Hamburg; development and tasting continue in Bremen.

You can find out more about us on the page About Aji. And if you want to know which heat level suits you: this way.