Spunky Food Co., Ltd., the company behind Em-o-cha Chili Toppings, has been awarded the Rising Star SME Award at the 7-Eleven SME Sustainable Awards 2025, marking a major milestone for women-led Thai enterprises. The award, presented by 7-Eleven Thailand in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP), the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), and the Stock Exchange of Thailand, recognises SMEs with outstanding innovation and export potential.
The event celebrates Thai SMEs as more than just "small businesses"—highlighting their role in creating world-class products and placing Thailand on the global map. Em-o-cha is one such standout, signalling the start of an inspiring journey toward international expansion.
From Passion to Shelf: The Em-o-cha Story
Born from a love of cooking, Em-o-cha was founded by Ladawan Lehmann, who saw an opportunity to modernise nam phrik, Thailand’s traditional chili paste and toppings, for health-conscious, trend-aware consumers. With bold flavours, hygienic production, and eye-catching packaging, Ladawan reimagined the Thai staple for a new generation.
Em-o-cha offers a diverse range of crispy chili pastes and fusion toppings, packaged in innovative cup and sachet formats for convenience. Popular varieties include Three-Flavor Grilled Squid, Fried Catfish with Chili and Ginger, and Ma La Tofu Skin, as well as fusion styles like Sriracha, Green Curry, and Soy Garlic – retail and food service products now reaching the U.S., U.K., and soon Switzerland.
Driven by Customer Insight
“Our success comes from listening to customers,” says Ladawan. The brand regularly refines its recipes and packaging based on consumer feedback, ensuring each launch meets evolving tastes at home and abroad.
The collaboration with 7-Eleven’s procurement and merchandising team goes far beyond shelf placement. It includes co-developing formulas, optimising packaging, and aligning with strict QA and export standards—transforming Em-o-cha into a scalable, globally recognised Thai SME brand.
A Role Model for Thai Entrepreneurs
Em-o-cha’s success is a testament to the creativity, agility, and perseverance of Thailand’s new generation of female entrepreneurs. Through strategic partnerships, deep consumer engagement, and a bold reimagining of tradition, the brand has grown from local favourite to global contender.
Its journey is a powerful blueprint for Thai SMEs—proving that with vision, collaboration, and customer focus, local wisdom can rise to international prominence.