Acting on an off-the-cuff remark from an American friend, Anna Cai and Nir Sela had very little expectation that their modest agricultural venture would yield much fruit very quickly, one that made the highly prized Cambodian pepper world-famous and lent them a reputation as trailblazing entrepreneurs.
Having moved to a foreign land and possessing limited knowledge of pepper farming, Cai and Sela had only sheer determination and a passion to succeed when they founded Sela Pepper in 2015.
In less than a decade, Sela Pepper has not only expanded its product line but also raised the bar in the Cambodian business landscape by establishing the country’s first state-of-the-art pepper production facility. Its commitment to innovation has led to partnerships with leading global food brands, like Ajinomoto, Aeon, Tops Market, and Dufry.
In a groundbreaking achievement earlier this year, Sela Pepper became the first in its industry to export Cambodian spice products to China, the country’s largest trading partner, paving the way for other local exporters and contributing significantly to the national economy.
However, their journey wasn’t without its bumps, particularly for Cai as she was a foreigner and a female entrepreneur.
“The journey has been challenging. When we started, Cambodia was largely underdeveloped. We struggled with infrastructure and talent shortages. There were years of no profit and the language barrier, coupled with our limited understanding of Cambodian culture, made us question the long-term viability of the business,” Cai says.
Despite those doubts, Cai, Nir and their team never wavered in their vision to make Sela Pepper the global face of Cambodian pepper.
“Our belief in Cambodian pepper’s unparalleled quality kept us going,” says Cai, who points out that Sela Pepper has the potential not only to showcase the excellence of Cambodian pepper internationally but also improve the lives of the farmers who work tirelessly to ensure its consistent quality.
This unwavering belief is rooted in the commitment and resilience of the Sela Pepper team, qualities that have been nurtured through transparent and sincere communication.
“Open communication allowed us to work toward a common goal that represents the aspirations and vision of everyone at Sela Pepper. When the team knows their ideas are heard and implemented, it fosters trust and drives us forward together,” she says.
Cai also stresses the importance of two-way communication and is very proud of the culture of collaboration that she nurtured in Sela Pepper: “We continue to learn from my team and partners. There is no limit to knowledge sharing.
Summarizing her leadership style, Cai says she always absorbs feedback and translates it into achievable metrics that coincide with the organization’s objectives, while making sure that each member aligns their personal goals with Sela Pepper’s mission and works to achieve them with enthusiasm.
“Our formula for success is built on three Fs: friends, freestyle, and flat structure. This means we treat our partners and staff as friends, maintain a flexible attitude towards learning, and ensure a holistic, non-hierarchical environment where everyone works as a single unit,” Cai explains.
The story of Sela Pepper is one of vision, resilience, and harmony. As Cai and her team bring Cambodian pepper to all corners of the world, Sela Pepper is an inspiration to what can be achieved with a lot of self-belief, commitment, and a strong sense of community
