is a Japanese food manufacturer. Its main products and services include

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

, food

seasoning Seasoning is the process of supplementing food via herbs, spices, and/or salts, intended to enhance a particular flavour. General meaning Seasonings include herbs and spices, which are themselves frequently referred to as "seasonings". Salt may ...

and flavoring,

mirin is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol (drug), alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms natur ...

, , and

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

and other

beverage A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothie ...

pharmaceutical Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...

s, and

restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

management Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a Government agency, government bodies through business administration, Nonprofit studies, nonprofit management, or the political s ...

services. As of 2002, the company was the world's largest producer of soy sauce. As of 2024, the company's motto is "To promote the international exchange of food culture." As of 2002, Kikkoman has production facilities in Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan; additional facilities have been reported in China and Canada. Kikkoman is the most popular brand of soy sauce in Japan and the United States. The city of

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...

, Germany, is the European headquarters of the company. A plant in

Sappemeer Sappemeer () is a town in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Midden-Groningen to the east of Hoogezand. Sappemeer was a separate municipality until 1949, when it merged with Hoogezand. The village is the Europ ...

, Netherlands, began operations in 1997 and now produces over 400 million litres of soy sauce per year.

History

West Japanese-style soy sauce, called , has been a well-known condiment for over 300 years. Kikkoman is the largest manufacturing company in the world, and "the one most responsible for introducing to the West". Founded contemporarily in 1917 in Noda, with the merger of eight family-owned companies. Those companies were founded as early as 1603 by the Mogi and Takanashi families. Kikkoman was originally known as the "Noda Shoyu Corporation" before 1940, when they adopted a single nationwide brand name.

Operations

As of 2002, the firm had five main divisions: * soy sauce * soy sauce-related products * wine and liquor * Del Monte products * biotechnology

Services

As of 2002, the company owned and operated several secondary service organizations, among them being: * the Colza restaurant chain * the Nakanakaya pub chain * a Tokyo city wine garden

Products

According to a 2002 source, products produced beyond those described in sections below: * Mann's Wine, a major Japanese label * brown rice ( Del Monte brand) * luciferase, among other biotechnology-related products

Soy sauce

Kikkoman soy sauce is produced using a traditional method of natural brewing. The process begins with soaking soybeans in water and then steaming them at high temperatures. These soybeans are mixed with crushed roasted wheat. Salt is added as an anti-bacterial agent and preservative. A type of the ''

Aspergillus ' () is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. ''Aspergillus'' was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli. Viewing the fungi under a microscope, Miche ...

'' fungus is introduced to the mixture for three days to create , the base for the soy sauce. This base is then transferred to a tank and mixed with a saline solution, forming a mash known as . The mixture undergoes several months of aging, allowing for various fermentation processes that develop the flavors. The is mechanically pressed through fabric layers for about ten hours to extract the raw soy sauce. The raw soy sauce is left to settle for 3–4 days and then pasteurized using steam, which stops enzymatic activity. The final product is then inspected and bottled. Kikkoman's soy sauce bottle was designed by Kenji Ekuan in 1961.

Soy milk

Kikkoman produces

soy milk Soy milk (or soymilk), also known as soya milk, is a plant-based milk produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein. Its original ...

using selected soybeans and methods aimed at ensuring product freshness. The company offers a range of soymilk products. Kikkoman Soy milk is a leading brand in Japan and began expanding internationally in 2018, providing products to the Asia and Oceania regions.

Tomato juice and ketchup

Kikkoman started producing

tomato juice Tomato juice is a juice made from tomatoes, usually used as a beverage, either plain or in cocktails such as a Bloody Mary (cocktail), Bloody Mary, a Caesar (cocktail), Caesar, or Michelada. Production Many commercial manufacturers of tomato ju ...

and

ketchup Ketchup or catsup is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor. "Ketchup" now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes, or walnuts, amon ...

in 1962. The plant in

Gunma is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture to t ...

focuses on tomato seasonings, while the Nagano plant specializes in beverages. In August 2013, Kikkoman launched the "Lycopene Rich" tomato ketchup, made with ripe tomatoes. This product line includes tomato sauce, puree, pizza sauce, and tomato beverages. The Nippon Del Monte Agri Company, established in 2013, focuses on the production and sales of fresh tomatoes and vegetable seedlings. The company has increased harvest yields by incorporating advanced technology from the Netherlands and optimizing farming methods for Japan.

Gallery

Media sponsorships

* Kuishinbo! Bansai Fuji TV (1974- ) ( currently suspended as of January 2025)

References

External links

The World of Kikkoman
{{Authority control Japanese companies established in 1917 Companies based in Chiba Prefecture Food and drink companies established in 1917 Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Companies in the Nikkei 225 Condiment companies of Japan Food and drink companies of Japan Japanese brands Japanese Imperial Warrant holders Soy product brands Zaibatsu Noda, Chiba