Lee Kum Kee South Africa
Lee Kum Kee's South Africa branch, selling sauces and seasonings.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
4requests
1companies- Anthropic4
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 2
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Lee Kum Kee is a Hong Kong-based food company and sauce brand whose history is closely associated with oyster sauce. It was established in 1888 by Lee Kum Sheung, who operated a small eatery in Nanshui, in present-day Zhuhai, Guangdong. According to the company’s founding story, Lee Kum Sheung developed and sold a concentrated oyster sauce after oysters were accidentally cooked down, creating a product that became a staple seasoning in Cantonese and southern Chinese cooking. The business subsequently adopted the Lee Kum Kee name and developed from a local enterprise into a large family-controlled food group. The company’s original oyster sauce remains its signature product, but Lee Kum Kee now makes more than 300 Chinese-style sauces and cooking ingredients. Its range includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili sauces, XO sauce, dipping sauces, cooking sauces and one-step recipe sauces. These products are sold for both household and professional food-service use, serving Chinese and Asian cuisines as well as consumers using the sauces as general-purpose marinades, stir-fry ingredients and table condiments. Lee Kum Kee’s corporate history includes several relocations and phases of internationalization. Its office was based in Macau from 1902 to 1932 before the company moved its headquarters to Hong Kong. From there, it expanded its manufacturing and distribution footprint beyond southern China. Production facilities have been associated with Hong Kong, Xinhui and Huangpu in mainland China, Malaysia and the United States. The company opened a manufacturing plant in City of Industry, California, in 1991, supporting distribution in North America and other overseas markets. Its products are reported to reach more than 100 countries, with particular recognition in mainland China and overseas Chinese communities. The Lee family has continued to control and operate the business. The wider Lee Kum Kee Group oversees activities beyond sauces, including health products, investment and philanthropic activities. In 2017, the group purchased London’s 20 Fenchurch Street, commonly known as the Walkie-Talkie, for £1.3 billion. This was a major diversification transaction and was reported as a record price for a single building in the United Kingdom at the time, although the property investment is distinct from the food brand’s operating business. Lee Kum Kee has also supported academic and social initiatives. In 2016, members of the Lee Kum Kee family donated $21 million to establish the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard University. The center focuses on relationships between positive psychological well-being, health and longevity. The brand has received recognition in Hong Kong, including being named Most Popular Brand Online at the 2004 Hong Kong Top Brand Awards. The company has faced scrutiny connected to food-safety testing of Chinese and Southeast Asian sauces in the United Kingdom. In 2000 and 2001, British authorities reported concerns about 3-MCPD and 1,3-dichloropropanol in a number of products across the sector, including some Lee Kum Kee products. Lee Kum Kee said the affected products had been manufactured before process improvements introduced from 1999 onward, and it submitted analytical documentation concerning products imported into Europe. The episode reflected wider regulatory concern over manufacturing contaminants in soy-based sauces rather than an allegation directed solely at Lee Kum Kee. The brand remains active as a family-owned international sauce and food-ingredient business.
History
Lee Kum Kee traces its origins to 1888, when Lee Kum Sheung ran a small eatery in Nanshui, Guangdong, and began selling an oyster sauce associated with his cooking business. The sauce became the foundation of a company named Lee Kum Kee and connected the brand to Cantonese culinary traditions, where oyster sauce is used in stir-fries, marinades, braises and as a table condiment. The company operated from Macau between 1902 and 1932. In 1932 it moved its headquarters to Hong Kong, which became the base for later expansion. Hong Kong provided access to regional trading networks and overseas Chinese markets, while the company retained its family-business structure. Over time, Lee Kum Kee expanded beyond oyster sauce into soy sauces, hoisin sauce, chili products, XO sauce, dipping sauces, recipe sauces and other cooking ingredients. The modern portfolio is reported to contain more than 300 Chinese-style products. International growth became a defining part of the company’s later history. Lee Kum Kee developed production capacity in mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the United States. A plant in City of Industry, California, opened in 1991 and supported the brand’s North American presence. The Xinhui operation became its largest manufacturing site, while other facilities served regional production and distribution needs. The products are sold in more than 100 countries, including markets across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The brand’s reputation has been built on combining a recognizable Chinese culinary identity with formats suitable for both Asian cooking and mainstream international grocery distribution. Its oyster sauce is the best-known offering, while its broader range allows the company to participate in home cooking, restaurant supply, dipping and ready-to-use meal preparation. Recognition in Hong Kong included the 2004 Hong Kong Top Brand Awards’ Most Popular Brand Online designation. Lee Kum Kee Group is broader than the sauce company. Its associated businesses include health products, investment activities and philanthropic organizations. The group’s purchase of London’s 20 Fenchurch Street in 2017 demonstrated a significant expansion into real estate. The Lee family also supported academic research through a $21 million donation in 2016 to establish the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard University. Food-safety regulation has been part of the brand’s public history. In 2000–2001, UK testing of Chinese and Southeast Asian sauces raised concerns about the contaminants 3-MCPD and 1,3-dichloropropanol. Some Lee Kum Kee products were included in the testing. The company stated that affected products had been made before manufacturing improvements introduced from 1999 and reported that later products complied with applicable standards. It also submitted certificates of analysis for European-imported soy sauce. The episode was associated with a broader category-wide issue rather than a finding limited to Lee Kum Kee. The company remains family controlled and active. Its publicly described chairmanship passed from founder Lee Kum Sheung through Lee Shiu-nan and Lee Man-tat before Sammy Lee assumed the role in 2022. Lee Kum Kee continues to operate as an international Chinese and Asian sauce and cooking-ingredient brand, while the wider group maintains interests outside food manufacturing.
- 2022
Sammy Lee becomes group chairman
[1]Sammy Lee succeeded Lee Man-tat as chairman of Lee Kum Kee Group.
- 2017
Walkie-Talkie building acquired
[1]Lee Kum Kee Group acquired London’s 20 Fenchurch Street for £1.3 billion, broadening the group’s activities into property investment.
- 2016
Harvard research center supported
[1]The Lee Kum Kee family donated $21 million toward the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard University.
- 2004
Hong Kong brand recognition
[1]The brand was named Most Popular Brand Online at the Hong Kong Top Brand Awards.
- 1991
United States manufacturing plant opens
[1]Lee Kum Kee opened a production plant in City of Industry, California, in the Greater Los Angeles area.
- 1932
Headquarters move to Hong Kong
[1]Lee Kum Kee relocated its headquarters from Macau to Hong Kong.
- 1902
Operations move to Macau
[1]The company’s office was located in Macau during this period of its development.
- 1888
Company founded in Guangdong
[1]Lee Kum Sheung established the business in Nanshui, Guangdong, initially marketing an oyster sauce associated with his eatery.
Products and positioning
An established, family-owned Chinese and Asian condiment brand positioned around culinary authenticity, broad household usability and international availability.
Oyster sauce · 1888
Lee Kum Kee Oyster Sauce
The company’s signature product and the foundation of its brand identity. Oyster sauce is used as a savory seasoning for stir-fries, vegetables, noodles, meat, seafood and marinades. Lee Kum Kee’s international recognition is strongly associated with making this Cantonese-style condiment available through supermarkets, Asian grocery stores and food-service channels around the world.
Soy sauce
Lee Kum Kee Soy Sauces
A range of soy-based seasonings used for cooking, marinating, dipping and table service. Soy sauce extends the brand beyond its oyster-sauce origins and gives it a core presence in everyday Chinese and Asian cooking. The category has also been relevant to the company’s international regulatory and quality history because imported soy sauces were included in UK contaminant testing in 2000–2001.
Hoisin sauce
Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce
A sweet-savory Chinese-style sauce used in marinades, stir-fries, dipping applications and dishes such as roasted or grilled meats. Hoisin sauce forms part of Lee Kum Kee’s wider effort to provide recognizable Chinese cooking flavors in ready-to-use packaged formats.
Chili sauce
Lee Kum Kee Chili Sauces
A group of spicy condiments and cooking sauces designed for dipping, stir-frying, marinades and finishing dishes. The chili range broadens the brand’s appeal across regional Asian cuisines and supports both direct table use and incorporation into recipes.
Specialty cooking sauce
Lee Kum Kee XO Sauce
A premium-style savory sauce associated with Cantonese cuisine and commonly used to add concentrated umami and spice to seafood, noodles, rice and stir-fried dishes. It represents the brand’s move from basic pantry condiments into more specialized, restaurant-inspired flavor products.
Recipe sauce
Lee Kum Kee One-Step Recipe Sauces
Ready-to-use sauces designed to simplify the preparation of specific Chinese or Asian dishes. These products translate restaurant-style flavor profiles into convenient household formats and are part of the company’s broader cooking-ingredient portfolio.
Controversies
2001
UK investigation into 3-MCPD and 1,3-dichloropropanol in sauces
The UK Food Standards Agency reported concerns about the presence of suspected carcinogenic contaminants in various Chinese and Southeast Asian sauces, including certain Lee Kum Kee products. Lee Kum Kee said the affected products were manufactured before process changes introduced from 1999, and it supplied later analytical results for soy sauce imported into Europe. The concern was treated as a wider industry and manufacturing issue rather than one uniquely attributed to Lee Kum Kee.
Brand decisions
2017
Acquire London’s Walkie-Talkie buildingM&ABackground
Lee Kum Kee Group sought to expand its activities beyond food manufacturing through a major property investment.
Action taken
The group purchased 20 Fenchurch Street in London, widely known as the Walkie-Talkie.
Aftermath
The transaction made the group a significant owner of a landmark London commercial property and was reported as a record-breaking UK single-building purchase at the time.
Purchase price. £1.3 billion (July 2017 transaction)
1999
Update manufacturing processes following contaminant concernsStrategyBackground
Food-safety testing in the Chinese and Southeast Asian sauce category raised concerns about 3-MCPD and 1,3-dichloropropanol.
Action taken
Lee Kum Kee stated that it updated manufacturing technology from 1999 and that affected products identified in later reporting had been made before the change.
Aftermath
The company submitted certificates of analysis for European-imported soy sauce and maintained that its products complied with applicable safety requirements.
1991
Establish North American production capacityStrategyBackground
The company was expanding beyond its Hong Kong and southern Chinese base and needed manufacturing capacity closer to overseas customers.
Action taken
Lee Kum Kee opened a production plant in City of Industry, California.
Aftermath
The facility supported the company’s international manufacturing and distribution network, particularly in North America.
Recent events
Reported
Lee Kum Kee launches food-and-charity restaurant video program[3]
Lee Kum Kee published its first food-and-charity restaurant-visit program, 《烹燃心动》, on its official WeChat video channel. The program features Hope Chefs visiting local restaurants and exploring dishes through short videos.
Reported
Lee Kum Kee recognized in Allrecipes Community Choice Awards[4]
Lee Kum Kee announced that it was named among the top three favorite soy sauce brands in Allrecipes' first annual Community Choice Awards.
Reported
LKK Hope as Chef project wins 2020 Golden Flag Grand Prize[5]
LKK's Hope as Chef project won the 2020 Golden Flag Award Grand Prize and the gold award in the corporate social responsibility case category at the ceremony held on November 27.
Reported
Lee Kum Kee puts the “Jin Shu You Li” gift set on sale[6]
Lee Kum Kee put its “Jin Shu You Li” gift set, featuring its Little Fresh Bottle soy sauce and other products, on sale.
Reported
Lee Kum Kee and Confucius Institute release electronic Chinese cookbook[7]
Lee Kum Kee and the Confucius Institute jointly released an electronic edition of the Chinese Cooking Textbook at an event in Pattaya, Thailand. The edition includes videos of 11 Chinese dishes and adds Thai-language content.
Sources7 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/lee-kum-kee-south-africa · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled