Lee Kum Sheung of Guangdong Province launched his business in 1888 selling only two products: the mysterious, dark sauce made from oyster juice and a shrimp paste.

FORBES: Hong Kong's Lee Kum Kee: Supplying the Sauce Worldwide

Fortunately four to five meals per day of char kwey tiaw (fried noodles in soy sauce with egg and various additions), asam laksa (Penang's famous, indescribably good curry noodle soup), rojak (fruit and veggie salad in a sweet dark shrimp paste) and much, much more, goes down a lot easier than heavier Western foods.

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