Japan’s top Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce maker Kikkoman has plans to stay in India for 100 years, and beyond

NEW DELHI: With its ambitious plans of staying in India for 100 years and beyond, Kikkoman – Japan’s top soy sauce maker, is on a mission to put a bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce on the shelf of every Indian kitchen.

Having started to expand its operations in India, Kikkoman India has announced the Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience.

The Honjozo Experience movement comprises three elements: Developing talent and fostering exchanges among chefs; educating everyone on the use of soy sauce through cooking sessions and contests; Learning the contribution Kikkoman Soy Sauce can make by experimenting through R&D in food culture.

On Thursday, Kikkoman introduced the appeal of Honjozo (natural brewed) Soy Sauce to chefs, restaurateurs, and other Food professionals from Delhi NCR at Pulman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity.

The event Kikkoman Honjozo Chefs Connect organized by Kikkoman India Pvt. Limited, aimed at introducing authentic naturally brewed Soy Sauce which is now officially being imported in India from Japan, since the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulation of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was revised in July 2021.

This Event was the first one in Delhi NCR held by Kikkoman India. The key objective of the event was to meet fellow industry colleagues and have interesting conversations over good food, cooked with Kikkoman Naturally Brewed, All-Purpose Soy Sauce. The event also aimed to introduce Japanese Authentic Soy Sauce with a tasting special menu curated by Chef Neeraj Tyagi, Director of Culinary, Pulman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity.

Kikkoman Soy Sauce is naturally brewed using the “Honjozo” traditional technique – in the same way it has been for more than 350 years.

Ms. Yuka Uchida, the wife of Toshihide Ando, Minister & charge d’Affairs, Embassy of Japan was a special guest on this occasion.

The goal is to make its most popular, naturally brewed Kikkoman Soy Sauce an everyday ingredient for all restaurants and households, and launching this movement across India is the first of many activities to introduce Japan’s No. 1 soy sauce brand to India.

According to the company, the chefs cooked up a storm using Kikkoman Soy Sauce. All chefs from professional chefs to student chefs are going to experiment and learn what can be done with it. Through cooking contests, videos, talks, and workshops, the Honjozo Experience movement will bring together chefs, students, restaurants, hoteliers, the media, industry leaders as well as government representatives to explore how Kikkoman Soy Sauce can enrich any and all dishes served in India.

Hundreds of Indian chefs have since the launch in February 2021 already quickly adopted Japan’s No. 1 Kikkoman Soy Sauce because it is naturally brewed – using just soybeans, wheat, salt, and water as ingredients – and works like magic to heighten the flavour of any dish and lift it to another level. Kikkoman plans to continue working with all chefs in India as part of a great ‘adventure’ to experiment and co-create new delicious experiences with Kikkoman Soy Sauce, to enhance all dishes, be it Chinese, Asian or Japanese, or Western and Indian dishes too.

“We are starting an adventure to bring innovations in the richly diverse Indian food culture to create more delicious dishes through Kikkoman Soy Sauce. So far, it has worked brilliantly, be it in popular Chinese dishes with an Indian twist, or with biryani dishes, samosas, lamb keema, butter chicken, and even in desserts, such as jalebis. Kikkoman Soy Sauce works fabulously with Indian spices, but our journey has just started. Kikkoman Soy Sauce has become a part of daily life in millions and millions of households worldwide in over 100 countries, and we are delighted that every Indian household will soon be able to enjoy it too,” Osamu Mogi, Member of the Board of Directors, Senior Executive Corporate Officer, Head of International Operations Division, Kikkoman Corporation, Japan said.

Kikkoman wants to replicate in India the revolution that the company brought about in America since the 1960s. Its popularity has risen to the point where 60 percent of US households now have Kikkoman Soy Sauce – Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce – in their kitchens.

“In India, the revolution will be driven by consumers realising that just a dash of Kikkoman Soy Sauce can transform all dishes that their families eat in their daily lives – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, be it the popular Chinese dishes with an Indian twist, or the humble dal khichdi or the rich Kadai chicken,” said Harry Hakuei Kosato, Kikkoman’s India representative.

Some chemically made soy sauces are available in India and are usually used here to add colour to Chinese dishes, but Kikkoman wants Indian consumers to switch to enjoy the superior taste of Kikkoman Soy Sauce which is made with the Honjozo authentic soy sauce traditional brewing method. It involves a fermentation process that lasts several months, a process that cannot be rushed and is vital for the rich yet mellow flavour and those enticing notes of vanilla, coffee, flowers, fruits, and 300 more flavours.

Indian cuisine boasts a dizzying multitude of delicious tastes and the beauty of Kikkoman Soy Sauce is that it adds a full-bodied umami flavour without dominating or interfering with the ingredients. Rather, it brings out the natural flavour of the dishes while adding depth and complexity.

“Just as Indian cuisine has already been enriched by ingredients brought from other countries over the centuries, which are now staples, so we think Kikkoman Soy Sauce will be the latest addition that will infuse yet another layer of flavour to an already delicious cuisine here,”  Kosato elaborated.

Kikkoman’s Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience: Cooking Sessions and Contests

Kikkoman Soy Sauce is already found in millions of homes, and in the kitchens of all professional chefs who appreciate and understand the value that Kikkoman brings to each dish. India is the next frontier. First, Kikkoman India will focus on reaching its HORECA consumers through the Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience movement. Chefs in India will participate in exploring the uses of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and share their experiences in ‘Chef Conversations’ centered around Meetups, events, podcasts, and talks. Kikkoman will also help to develop talent and inspire and educate chefs through cooking videos and an All-India Kikkoman Cooking Contest using Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce.

Chef Vicky Ratnani, one of Kikkoman India’s Brand Ambassadors for 2021-22, said, “Kikkoman has so much potential in India that Indians don’t know about – yet. The Kikkoman Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience movement aims to develop new experiences for chefs and home chefs and I’m excited about what professional chefs and home chefs are all going to discover with the versatility of Kikkoman Soy Sauce in their kitchens.”

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After an initial focus on the restaurant and hospitality sector, Kikkoman India will launch a range of soy sauce-related seasonings in Indian retail shops across the country. In fact, Kikkoman’s main product – Honjozo authentic soy sauce – has started to be available in some key retail outlets.

The Future Vision of the Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience

Kikkoman has plans for India for the next 100 years and beyond. It is also organizing regular regional meetings and an annual conference bringing together professional chefs and home chefs, industry leaders, government representatives, academics, and media, both from Japan and India. There are currently some two million Indians studying to be chefs and the idea is to connect with them – the next generation of the culinary and hospitality industry – and the wider community – to showcase the delicious experiences that Kikkoman Soy Sauce can bring to the table.

About Kikkoman and Kikkoman India

With a history spanning over 350 years and based in Japan, the current Kikkoman corporate entity was established through the merger of 8 families in 1917. The company’s internationalization strategy began some 60 years ago, with the entry into the United States market. In fact, Kikkoman products are now found in the majority, that is over 60%, of households in the United States. Kikkoman has become a global business, expanding to over 100 countries, with 10 manufacturing facilities worldwide that distribute its products all over the world to millions and millions of customers.

Kikkoman India is solely responsible for importing all Kikkoman products, and shall manage all marketing and sales, and distribution in India.

(With inputs from PR Newswire)