It was after World War II that Kikkoman began a full-scale export of its soy sauce to overseas markets, starting with the United States. After seeing many Americans who visited Japan had grown to love the taste of soy sauce, Kikkoman was convinced that soy sauce had the universally appealing deliciousness. In order for the Americans to use Kikkoman Soy Sauce regularly in their daily meals, soy sauce had to be recognized as a versatile seasoning for various dishes, instead of being known as a condiment exclusively for Japanese dishes. That’s why Kikkoman began labeling the soy sauce for export with “ALL-PURPOSE SEASONING” in 1957. This expression, meaning ‘multipurpose condiment’ being printed on the product labels to this day, perfectly describes the soy sauce’s flavor enhancing qualities, making it a clear catchphrase for this seasoning to be penetrated into the market.

It was 1957 when Kikkoman established a marketing company in San Francisco to fully break into the U.S. market. Soy sauce became rapidly popular among Americans after Kikkoman marketed it with a catchphrase “Delicious on Meat” and advertised how good it tastes with meat dishes through in-store demonstrations at supermarkets. With new recipes tailored to American preferences, Kikkoman introduced the delicious fusion of local cuisine and Kikkoman Soy Sauce, which has gradually turned into the local specialty. In response to the expanded demand, full-scale production of Kikkoman Soy Sauce began locally in 1973 at a plant opened in Walworth, Wisconsin. Today, Kikkoman supplies soy sauce across the United States from this plant and another plant opened in Folsom, California, which began operation in 1998. Kikkoman products have certainly become an integral part of the American food culture, generating new value and making the name “Kikkoman” a byword for soy sauce.

Kikkoman has introduced a variety of products aligned with the American food culture and changing needs of the times. The “Teriyaki Sauce” available since 1961 was launched as BBQ sauce flavored with spices in the United States where people enjoy al fresco cooking and dining. This product was developed with input from local employees in the U.S., hoping to deliver the great Teriyaki experience for everyone. Since its launch, the Teriyaki sauce has rapidly gained recognition, expanding its popularity over the course of half a century and being American’s favorite to this day.
Kikkoman has been expanding its products tailored to the North American food culture and the needs of society. The new lineup includes less-sodium soy sauce, stir-fry sauce (ideal for meat and vegetables), as well as recent additions of gluten-free soy sauce and Umami Joy Sauce, a soy and wheat -free tomato-based sauce.

Kikkoman Soy Sauce sold in South America has been imported from the U.S. or Singapore.
Prior to a full-scale entry into Brazil, market research was conducted on the imported soy sauce. With the development of new seasonings well-suited to South America, in 2018, Kikkoman started contract producing and sales of its soy sauce-based products.
In 2020, Kikkoman established a corporation dedicated to producing and marketing its products, signifying its full-scale entry into the market. In the following year, Kikkoman started distributing soy sauce produced at the plant in Brazil, Kikkoman’s 8th production hub overseas. Through marketing efforts, including collaborative recipe development with renowned local chefs, Kikkoman is promoting its brand in Brazil and showcasing the allure and deliciousness of Kikkoman Soy Sauce with Brazilian meals.

Brazil, known as the economic giant of South America, has a deep-rooted connection between its Japanese immigrant history and the tradition of soy sauce, which has contributed to the popularity of soy sauce among Brazilians. However, most of the soy sauce available in Brazil is made with soybeans and corn as main ingredients, which tastes a lot different from Kikkoman Soy Sauce made from soybeans and wheat. The difference has made it difficult for Kikkoman to penetrate the market and prevented them from establishing a strong presence over an extended period.
Therefore, Kikkoman developed seasonings tailored to the local palate. The first product introduced to the market was “Molha de Soja,” a sweet soy sauce-based seasoning with sugar mixed in.
Kikkoman has been delivering new flavor suited to the Brazilian taste, while communicating the value of “Honjozo” (traditionally brewed) soy sauce made from soybeans and wheat, and continuing to develop new products aligned with the local needs.

Continuing the success of North America and Europe, Kikkoman entered the Australian market and increased its export volume smoothly. Soy sauce found a warm reception as a meat seasoning, perfectly complementing Australia’s BBQ culture and frequent consumption of beef and lamb. With its abundant seafood resources, Australia found soy sauce to be an ideal seasoning that harmonized with its diverse food culture.
In 1980, Kikkoman established its Oceania marketing company in Sydney, Australia. As the market continued to expand, Kikkoman completed the construction of its Singapore plant in 1984, which started operating as the key export hub for the Asia and Oceania regions and exported to Australia. As sales gained momentum, the market share of Kikkoman, especially its soy sauce and Teriyaki sauce, has expanded year after year. By 1988, the market share in Australia reached 50% and continued to grow thereafter.

Given the considerable demand for household use in Australia, Kikkoman placed an emphasis on expanding its product lineup. Kikkoman has successfully strengthened its brand recognition by introducing a diverse range of soy sauce products, including gluten-free, organic, tamari, sushi & sashimi soy sauce, and Teriyaki sauce.
In order to meet the growing demand for gluten-free products in recent years, Kikkoman released the Makoto-range seasoning consisting of gluten-free products only, featuring a diverse selection including “Ponzu” (citrus seasoned soy sauce), “Tonkatsu” sauce (sauce for Japanese-style breaded pork cutlets), vegetarian oyster sauce and more.

After the establishment of the Singapore plant as an export hub for Asia and Oceania in 1984, Kikkoman began shipping Kikkoman Soy Sauce produced at the plant. In 1990, a marketing company was founded in Singapore to facilitate business expansion in Southeast Asia, particularly in the vicinity of Singapore.
In Southeast Asia, where fish sauce made from fermented seafood has been widely used since early times, it was initially anticipated that Japanese soy sauce would be embraced in a similar manner. However, it turned out each of the Southeastern Asian sauce has a distinct flavor unique to its regional cuisine. While Kikkoman Soy Sauce has become a common seasoning that goes well with their local dishes or ingredients in North America and Europe, the situation was different in Asia.
In 2001, Kikkoman began opening offices in Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, recognizing them as key markets, aiming to develop and promote products optimized for each market. As part of its brand promotion efforts, Kikkoman provides “shokuiku” (food education) programs for students at culinary schools, who are the future customers. These programs feature cooking demonstrations and contests, allowing participants to explore the distinctions between Kikkoman Soy Sauce and region-specific fermented seasonings, while uncovering Kikkoman’s secrets behind its delectable flavor.

In contrast to the meat-centric Western diet, Southeast Asian cuisine places a greater emphasis on consuming rice, noodles, and vegetables. To better suit the preference of Southeast Asian consumers, Kikkoman developed and introduced its hot pot sauce series (Yosenabe and Sukiyaki) in 2020. These products are in harmony with their vegetable-rich diet and hot pot & soup culture. Activities to gain recognition from more consumers include photo contents and communication through social media platforms.

Kikkoman has made steady progress in expanding its presence in the East Asian market.
In China, a country experiencing remarkable economic growth, there is a growing demand for high-value-added products in the seasoning market, including soy sauce.
In 1990, Kikkoman formed a joint venture with Taiwan’s largest food manufacturer, to build a plant and sales center in Tainan. The partnership with the group continued with the establishment of two production and sales centers to supply mainland China in the 2000s.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce penetrated these markets as a high-quality seasoning.⁠

Kikkoman successfully entered the Taiwanese market by launching the sweet soy sauce ”甘醇醤油”. It was specially crafted to suit the Taiwanese taste by adding sugar and umami ingredients to “Honjozo” (traditionally-brewed) Soy Sauce.
As part of the PR campaign, a commercial featuring Taiwanese talents was aired on TV with a catchphrase “醍醐味,” which translates to “real pleasure”. After using this “醍醐味” catchphrase consistently with product labels and promotions like this TV commercial, by the mid-2000s, majority of people in Taiwan associated this term with Kikkoman. “甘醇醤油” became a popular product and is now available in mainland China as well.

In February 2021, Kikkoman established a marketing company locally and entered the Indian market officially.
To penetrate Kikkoman Soy Sauce into the market, it was crucial to demonstrate how it can be used in cooking to enhance the flavor of local ingredients. Various promotions are being carried out in India, known for its spice-rich cuisine, to communicate the value of “Honjozo” (traditionally-brewed) soy sauce.
These promotions include collaborations with renowned chefs from major cities in India, creating recipes that showcase different cuisines, including Indian dishes. The new recipes are published on Kikkoman India’s Instagram page. The recipes vary from authentic restaurant dishes to easy meals to make at home.
Kikkoman will continue to promote “Honjozo” (traditionally-brewed) soy sauce throughout India by hosting events and developing more soy sauce-based products tailored to local needs.

Primarily in major cities of India today, a culinary fusion known as “Indian Chinese,” Indian-style Chinese food infused with spices, has been gaining popularity. In 2022, after two years of research and development, “Kikkoman Oyster Flavoured Sauce” was launched in India. This unique oyster-flavored seasoning is vegetarian and free from any chemical seasonings or additives. While being carefully crafted to suit the Indian taste, Kikkoman Soy Sauce is used as a secret ingredient.
Kikkoman India will continue to develop more products that better suit the needs of consumers in India.