Party Honors Kikkoman's 50th Anniversary in America
On November 8, 2007, a special gathering was held at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kikkoman's entry into the U.S. market. This party concluded a series of events undertaken by the company to commemorate its half-century of business in the U.S. Some 1,200 guests attended, representing the political, financial, academic and industrial worlds, as well as client companies and suppliers.
Kicking off the party was a performance by singer Carole King, who specially included the Kikkoman name in her lyrics on this occasion. Afterwards, former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivered a congratulatory address, remarking, “Kikkoman established the foundation for disseminating Japanese culture, and I pay homage to the company's effort to spread soy sauce to the world.”
Kikkoman Chairman and CEO Yuzaburo Mogi then reflected upon the history of how soy sauce penetrated into American food culture. He expressed his gratitude to those customers who have supported the company, and concluded his speech with a toast.
To the delight of guests, a variety of dishes were served at the reception, including winning dishes from the company's commemorative recipe contest held in Japan last spring. Also served were seafood and meat dishes as well as fusion cuisine from different regions in the U.S. based on the theme, “Authentic America.”
Thanks to a successful half-century of marketing Kikkoman Soy Sauce in the U.S., guests were able to appreciate how widely accepted this condiment has become in overseas food cultures. Kikkoman intends to continue to contribute to the international exchange of food culture.