Following the “Japan boom” and the increasing recognition of “Teriyaki,” in 1961, we developed Teriyaki Barbecue Marinade in Japan and began exporting it to North America. This product was a unique blend based on input from our U.S. employees, combining soy sauce with wine and spices to create a Teriyaki sauce designed so that anyone could easily enjoy delicious “Teriyaki.” At the time of its launch, it achieved annual sales growth of 30 to 50%, quickly becoming a popular product.

To establish Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce in the North American market, we actively implemented advertising and marketing initiatives. In 1966, we installed large outdoor billboards featuring the product at several prime locations in Los Angeles. In the U.S., where cars are an essential part of everyday life, Los Angeles was particularly traffic-heavy, making giant billboards an effective advertising method.

As with soy sauce, in-market development centered on in-store sampling demonstrations at supermarkets. In the southern U.S., where demand for barbecue sauce was highest, we participated in consumer food shows, grilling beef patties and serving them with Teriyaki sauce for tasting. This approach appealed to consumers by showcasing a new, soy sauce–based deliciousness and the ease with which Teriyaki sauce could be incorporated into cooking.

The inclusion of “Teriyaki” for the first time in the 1970 edition of Webster’s New World Dictionary of The American Language, Second College Edition (World Publishing Co.) signified that “Teriyaki” had become firmly established as part of American food culture.

As the U.S. market continued to steadily expand, we eventually began considering local production of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce.

Prior to establishing a local plant, we partnered with the Leslie Salt Company, a salt producer in California, and in January 1968, we started bottling soy sauce locally as well as blending and bottling Teriyaki sauce.

To meet further growth in demand, we established Kikkoman Foods, Inc. (KFI) in Walworth, Wisconsin, in 1972 as our first U.S. soy sauce production base.
Since the grand opening of this plant in 1973, Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce has been produced entirely at KFI.

From the 1950s onward, Japan saw an increase in meat dishes as eating habits became more Westernized, which in turn was a primary factor in the decline of soy sauce consumption. We turned this situation around by introducing Japanese consumers to how soy sauce was used with meat dishes in the United States, aiming to revive domestic demand. In effect, we re-imported overseas examples to promote the idea that soy sauce goes well with meat dishes.

The first campaign was a newspaper advertisement in 1958 titled “Teriyaki Has Become an American Dish.” Then, in October 1962, we launched Barbecue Marinade in Japan, a product adapted for the domestic market from the Teriyaki Barbecue Marinade that had been exported to the U.S. the previous year and was enjoying strong popularity.

While the Teriyaki Barbecue Marinade, launched in 1961, has continued to be loved in North America as the classic Teriyaki sauce, we have strengthened our Teriyaki sauce lineup to meet the evolving needs of consumers and markets worldwide. For cooking applications, alongside the marinade designed primarily for marinating, we introduced Teriyaki Baste & Glaze, a thick sauce ideal for basting, glazing, and simmering in cooked dishes.
To address rising health consciousness and dietary restrictions and allergies, we also developed less-sodium and gluten-free options.
Recognizing growing consumer interest in authentic Japanese cuisine driven by the spread of Asian seasonings in Western markets, we launched the Teriyaki series in North America, offering a variety of flavors such as garlic, honey, and Korean-style blends.

As noted in the previous section, starting in North America, Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce has grown to be produced and sold across the globe.
In 1983, we established Kikkoman (S) Pte. Ltd. (KSP), as our production base in Singapore, and the following year began shipping Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce to Europe, Australia, and neighboring Asian countries. In Australia, where beef and lamb are widely consumed and the barbecue culture is deeply rooted, soy sauce was welcomed as a seasoning that goes well with meat dishes, and Teriyaki sauce was also embraced.

Thereafter in Europe in 1996, we established Kikkoman Foods Europe B.V. (KFE) in the city of Hoogezand-Sappemeer, the Netherlands, and began operations the following year as our fourth overseas plant after those in the U.S., Singapore, and Taiwan. As with KFI and KSP, KFE initially focused on producing our two core items: Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce.