The aroma of simmering spices – chili, ginger, garlic, star anise – this is the scent of my childhood in Guanghan, Sichuan. It’s the smell of home, of family gatherings crowded around a bubbling pot, and the very essence that inspired me, Huang Jin, to build our factory dedicated to crafting authentic, high-quality commercial hot pot base. For over two decades, we’ve focused on one thing: providing restaurant owners like you with the foundational flavor that turns a meal into an unforgettable experience. Choosing the right base isn’t just about taste; it’s about defining your restaurant’s identity and ensuring operational success.

Deconstructing the Liquid Gold: What Makes a base de soupe pour fondue chinoise?

In a hot pot restaurant, a pot of hot pot broth cannot be simply prepared with a bag of hot pot base seasonings. There are many key factors to consider for a delicious hot pot broth: the capacity of the hot pot pot, the proportion of the hot pot broth, the heating method of the hot pot broth, the quality of the ingredients, and so on. This is a systematic project. As the operator of a hot pot restaurant, you must know the principle of hot pot broth.

1.The larger the capacity of the hot pot pot, the greater the amount of hot pot base sauce needed to ensure the stability of the flavor of the hot pot broth. Generally, a 1.1-pound bag of household hot pot base can be filled with about 3 pounds of water.

2. The proportion of the hot pot broth: The hot pot broth in hot pot restaurants is all made from commercial hot pot base seasonings. This is a combination, consisting of hot pot base, hot pot red oil, hot pot seasonings, including water (or soup), and then it will be accompanied by auxiliary materials such as chili peppers and Sichuan pepper. The proportion of each seasoning is crucial, which depends on the specific capacity and cost of the hot pot pot. Hot pot has more ingredients than water and a richer flavor. On the contrary, if there is more water than the ingredients of the hot pot, the taste will be milder and even other problems may occur during the cooking process.

3. Regarding the heating form of hot pot broth, in many regions, due to limited conditions, only induction cookers can be used. However, to make the hot pot broth taste good, it is best to pair it with an open flame and a round-botted hot pot pot. This way, the pot can heat up more evenly, allowing the hot pot oil and base ingredients to fully blend into the broth and bring out the potential flavor of the hot pot base ingredients.

4. Fresh and natural ingredients can enable one to enjoy the spicy, fresh, fragrant and original flavors of the ingredients. However, many ingredients, due to starch or artificial additions, can cause the hot pot broth to become cloudy, bitter, or salty, affecting the experience.

If you are interested in cooperating with us, we suggest you communicate with us first. We can recommend and match suitable hot pot base seasonings for you based on your ideas and actual business conditions. Only a stable and delicious hot pot base product can win the favor of hot pot enthusiasts.

Beyond Taste: Choosing the Right Commercial Hot Pot Base for Your Restaurant

Selecting a base isn’t just about personal preference; it’s a strategic business decision impacting your kitchen flow, costs, and customer satisfaction. Here’s what matters most:

Know Your Audience & Concept:

Authenticity vs. Adaptation: Are you targeting diaspora communities craving genuine Sichuan ma la, or a broader local clientele that might prefer milder, less numbing flavors? Do you offer multiple broth styles (spicy, tomato, mushroom, clear broth)? Your base must align perfectly.

We are a manufacturer of hot pot base from Guanghan, Sichuan Province, the birthplace of hot pot in China. Our hot pot base factory mainly supplies hot pot base to hot pot restaurants. Over the past 10 years of engaging in the wholesale business of hot pot base, we have provided hot pot base to more than 3,000 hot pot restaurants worldwide. We have always been committed to making authentic hot pot base seasonings. We have never compromised on our products due to cost or individual taste demands.

Many hot pot restaurant operators in Europe and America often make mistakes in the selection and proportion of the hot pot broth. In fact, the chili peppers used in the authentic hot pot base are very particular. The spiciness of the hot pot base made with such chili peppers will only stay in the mouth, without burning the heart or causing stomach discomfort. It is a very comfortable spiciness. According to our investigation, at such a level of spiciness, guests will give you a reaction of spiciness, but they will also like the taste very much because spiciness is the key to the flavor of the hot pot broth.

So choosing an authentic hot pot base is very crucial. Many traders of hot pot broth actually don’t understand hot pot. They will directly reduce the amount of hot pot base based on the feedback from local consumers or ask the hot pot base factory to reduce the amount of chili peppers when stir-frying the hot pot base to lower the spiciness. In fact, all of these are wrong practices. The most fundamental solution to this problem is a comprehensive match of spiciness, numbness, freshness and aroma. This way, it can not only reduce the spiciness of the hot pot broth, but also will not affect the overall taste.

Spice Tolerance: Can you offer adjustable spice levels? Does your chosen base allow for easy customization (adding fresh chili/oil or broth to dilute)?Our hot pot base seasonings are all made from chili peppers that have a good aroma but a mild spiciness. This ensures that the spiciness of the hot pot base seasonings can also meet the demand for chili aroma. This level of spiciness is acceptable to the vast majority of people. Moreover, since it is a commercial hot pot base, reducing the spiciness and adding a small amount of rock sugar will not affect the overall taste balance of the hot pot broth.

Evaluate the Product Itself:

Flavor Profile: Taste it! Does it have depth beyond just heat? Is the umami pronounced? Is the ma (numbing) balanced with the la (heat)? Is it overly salty or artificial tasting? Tip: Dilute it exactly as you would in your restaurant for a true assessment.

Ingredient Quality & Transparency: Request ingredient lists. Look for recognizable components. Avoid bases overloaded with artificial flavors, excessive MSG (though some is common and functional), or vague “flavorings.” Reputable suppliers like us are proud to disclose ingredients.

Consistency: This is paramount. Every batch must taste and perform identically. Ask about the supplier’s quality control processes.

Concentration & Yield: How much finished broth does one unit (kg/lb) of paste make? A highly concentrated base might have a higher upfront cost but offer better value and lower shipping costs per serving.

Ease of Use: Is it a simple paste-to-broth ratio? Does it dissolve easily without clumping? Does it require long simmering times? Kitchen efficiency matters.

Stability & Shelf Life: All of our products can be stored at room temperature: Our hot pot base can be processed to minimize the moisture content of the product and achieve uniform fermentation. Such products can not only be stored at room temperature, but also have an actual storage time longer than the shelf life indicated on the label. Make sure it matches your order frequency and storage capacity. Since July 20, 2016, our factory has established a system of keeping three bags of samples for each wok product produced. One bag will be used for sensory and actual tasting comparison two months later, another bag for physical data comparison, and the last bag for after-sales retention, with a retention period of one year and one month. This is to test and maintain the stability of the products.

Practical Business Considerations:

Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs): We are the only manufacturer in China that supports small-batch customization and wholesale of hot pot base seasonings. First of all, our commercial hot pot base seasonings support wholesale by the box. If you want to customize your own label on the hot pot base, please communicate with us in advance, provide your business information, and purchase 5 boxes of hot pot base to achieve this

Logistics & Reliability: Our hot pot base factory has established overseas warehouses in some countries. However, the vast majority of our products are shipped from our Chinese factory. Due to the particularity of hot pot base in some countries, we always use the safest way to transport them. For specific transportation prices, please feel free to contact us for detailed information.

Certifications: We are a manufacturer of hot pot base seasonings that complies with China’s food safety regulations. We adhere to the principle of no additives and use natural raw materials to stir-fry the hot pot base seasonings.

Navigating Common Challenges: Your Hot Pot Base FAQ

Q: My broth tastes bitter after simmering. What happened?

• A: There are several reasons for the bitter taste of the meat broth in hot pot: adding green Sichuan pepper to the hot pot base, improper handling of Sichuan pepper during the stir-frying of the hot pot base, improper proportion of spices, substandard variety or quality of chili peppers, incorrect marinating of hot pot dishes or poor quality. The specific reasons need to be analyzed one by one. If you have any questions about the hot pot broth, please feel free to contact us. We are willing to analyze and solve them together with all hot pot enthusiasts.

Q: How can I adjust the spice level for different customers?

• A:Adjusting the spiciness of restaurate-level hot pot base is very simple. First of all, there is a difference between genuine commercial hot pot base and household hot pot base. Firstly, commercial hot pot base uses more ingredients, pursuing the integration of spiciness, freshness, aroma and a rich flavor. Household base only needs to emphasize the saltiness and spiciness, so the taste is very thin. When using commercial base seasonings for hot pot broth, only a small amount of sugar needs to be added to reduce the spiciness and increase the fresh and sweet taste. Since all the raw materials have been fully integrated into the base seasonings, it will not affect the layers of the flavor. However, to increase the spiciness, just add chili rings that suit your taste.

Q: How long can I keep diluted hot pot broth?

• A: Food safety is critical. Diluted broth is highly perishable. Discard any leftover broth after service. Do not attempt to store and re-serve it the next day. Prepare fresh batches daily.

Q: My vegetarian/vegan customers are asking for options. What should I look for?

• A: Scrutinize the ingredient list! Ensure no animal fats (tallow, chicken fat – look for vegetable oils), no meat-derived broths in the concentrate, and no animal-derived additives (like some glycerides). Look for specific “Vegetarian” or “Vegan” certifications if required. Mushroom, tomato, or clear vegetable bases are popular choices.We also produce pure vegetable oil hot pot base. This hot pot base is made from the most traditional ingredients. The taste of the spicy hot pot that many people in Chengdu love from their childhood is developed based on this clear oil hot pot base.

Elevate Your Hot Pot Experience: Partner with Guanghan Flavor

At our Guanghan factory, the heart of Sichuan, we live and breathe hot pot. We understand the unique pressures and opportunities facing international restaurant owners. That’s why we craft our commercial hot pot base with uncompromising standards:

• Authentic Sichuan Soul: Using time-honored techniques and premium, locally-sourced ingredients like Pixian Doubanjiang and top-grade Sichuan Peppercorns. Experience the true, balanced ma la.
• Engineered for Your Kitchen: High concentration for excellent yield and value, superior stability with minimal separation, easy dissolution, and consistent batch-to-batch perfection. Simplify your operations.
• Tailored Solutions: We also operate hot pot restaurants in Chengdu. We have rich experience in running hot pot restaurants. We would like to share our experience with friends who open hot pot restaurants around the world. From the application of hot pot broth, business location selection, cost accounting, dish preparation, kitchen management, marketing promotion, etc., we have our own standards. Although the standards may vary by region, But the accumulation of experience is also very important.Meanwhile, in terms of products, we support customized research and development and can also provide sample imitation.

Ready to discover the difference a truly authentic, reliable, and high-performing base can make?

 Explore our core Sichuan Ma La range, discover our Tomato, Mushroom, and Clear Broth options, and learn how we can become the trusted foundation of your hot pot success. Let’s bring the authentic, vibrant taste of Sichuan to your tables, together.