Tanzania

Tanzania is a major African producer of African bird’s eye chili (pili pili hoho / pili pili kichaa), exporting premium bird’s eye for spice, pharmaceutical, and hot-sauce industries. Smallholders also grow long red annuum chilies and some Scotch bonnet/habanero.

Domestically, chilies season nyama choma (grilled meat), mishkaki (skewers), fish, and beans, often as kachumbari (tomato–onion–chili salad) or pili pili sauce. Tanzania exports dried bird’s eye and processed chili while importing some branded sauces.

Bird’s eye chilies offer intense, bright, slightly fruity heat that defines much of East Africa’s spice.