October 4, 2017

One of Kikkoman’s corporate principles is "to promote the international exchange of food culture." Since our entrance into the global market, we have furthered international exchange through the fundamental, commonly shared human culture of food.

Soy sauce goes well with various food ingredients, adds a distinctive aroma and umami to foods, and can be used in a diverse range of cuisines. Early on, we recognized the importance of taking advantage of these unique characteristics of soy sauce, and found ways to integrate this seasoning into local food cultures and global cuisines, rather than marketing it as a seasoning for Japanese food alone. We chose to develop original recipes complemented by soy sauce, catering to specific countries and regions: these are recipes that utilize local ingredients, and which may resemble familiar local dishes—and these innovative recipe development activities continue. Take a look at our website for some of these delicious recipes (https://www.kikkoman.com/en/worldwide.html).

Last year, Kikkoman created a Japanese corporate advertisement depicting a world map composed with 85 vivid images of world cuisine dishes, all made using soy sauce. This advertisement expressed our aim to spread the joys of food and connect global food cultures, and it received a positive reaction in Japan: schools were interested in how the images might be used as educational material and there were inquiries about these dishes and their recipes. Kikkoman selected 20 of the 85 dishes, and provided their recipes on the company’s Japanese and English (https://www.kikkoman.com/en) websites.

The development of these original Kikkoman recipes was strongly influenced by the food environment and culture of each specific country or region. Even if ingredients go by the same name, food varieties may differ from area to area; therefore, it can be difficult to precisely recreate each dish. Yet more important than exact duplication, we hope people will be encouraged to cook using the fundamental global seasoning of Kikkoman Soy Sauce, which offers the same high quality around the world— and which provides the opportunity to explore and savor new tastes. In conveying the appeal of soy sauce around the world, Kikkoman respects the way of life and food cultures of each local region. We will continue to pursue our promise of making Kikkoman Soy Sauce a truly global seasoning so we can fill the world with the joys of food by delivering wholehearted flavor.