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Kikkoman

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Kikkoman Corporation
Native name
キッコーマン株式会社
Company typePublic (K.K)
TYO: 2801
IndustryFood
Founded1603; 421 years ago (1603) (oldest establishment)[1]
December 7, 1917; 106 years ago (1917-12-07) (incorporated)
Headquarters
Noda
,
Japan
Key people
ProductsFood products, beverages, biochemical products, management services
RevenueIncrease US$3.369 billion (2014)
Increase US$123.3 million (2014)
Owner
Number of employees
5,622
Websitekikkoman.com
Footnotes / references
[2][3]

Kikkoman Corporation (キッコーマン株式会社, Kikkōman Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese food manufacturer. Its main products and services include soy sauce, food seasoning and flavoring, mirin, shōchū, and sake, juice and other beverages, pharmaceuticals, and restaurant management services. As of 2002, the company was the world's largest producer of soy sauce.[4] As of 2024, the company's motto is "To promote the international exchange of food culture."[5]

As of 2002, Kikkoman has production facilities in Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan;[4] additional facilities have been reported in China and Canada.[6][permanent dead link‍] Kikkoman is the most popular brand of soy sauce in Japan[4][7] and the United States.[8][7] The city of Düsseldorf, Germany, is the European headquarters of the company.[9] A plant in Sappemeer began operations in 1997 and now produces over 400 million litres of soy sauce per year.[10]

History

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West Japanese-style soy sauce, called shoyu, has been a well-known condiment for over 300 years. Kikkoman is the largest shoyu manufacturing company in the world, and "the one most responsible for introducing shoyu to the West".[11]

Founded contemporarily in 1917 in Noda, with the merger of eight family-owned companies.[4] Those companies were founded as early as 1603 by the Mogi and Takanashi families.[12] Kikkoman was originally known as the "Noda Shoyu Corporation" before 1940, when they adopted a single nationwide brand name.[13]

Operations

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As of 2002, the firm had five main divisions:[4]

  • soy sauce
  • soy sauce-related products
  • wine and liquor
  • Del Monte products
  • biotechnology

Services

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As of 2002, the company owned and operated several secondary service organizations, among them being:[4]

  • the Colza restaurant chain
  • the Nakanakaya pub chain
  • a Tokyo city wine garden

Products

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According to a 2002 source, products produced beyond those described in sections below:[4]

Soy sauce

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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 fungus is introduced to the mixture for three days to create shōyu koji, 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 moromi. The mixture undergoes several months of aging, allowing for various fermentation processes that develop the flavors. The moromi 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.[14] Kikkoman's soy sauce bottle was designed by Kenji Ekuan in 1961.[15]

Soy milk

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Kikkoman produces soy milk 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.[16]

Tomato juice and ketchup

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Kikkoman started producing tomato juice and ketchup in 1962. The plant in Gunma 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.[17]

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  • Sashimi soy sauce
    Sashimi soy sauce
  • Stacked 5-gallon pails of Kikkoman soy sauce
    Stacked 5-gallon pails of Kikkoman soy sauce
  • Kikkoman General Hospital in Noda, Japan
    Kikkoman General Hospital in Noda, Japan
  • Kikkoman soy sauce bottle
    Kikkoman soy sauce bottle
  • Display of Kikkoman soy sauce bottles
    Display of Kikkoman soy sauce bottles

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko (2012-05-31). "History of Soy Sauce (160 CE to 2012)" (PDF). Soyinfo Center.
  2. ^ "Corporate Profile". Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  3. ^ "Kikkoman Financial Statements". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Derdek, Thomas (2002). "Kikkoman Corporation". In Pederson, Jay P. (ed.). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 47. Thomson Gale. pp. 203–206. ISBN 1-55862-465-1. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Message from the Management". About Us. Kikkoman. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Message from the Management". Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Factbook Business Information Fiscal 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  8. ^ "Story of Soy Sauce". Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  9. ^ GmbH, Kikkoman Trading Europe. "Contact". Kikkoman Trading Europe GmbH. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  10. ^ "Groningen in Beeld" (in Dutch). RTV Noord. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Kikkoman Corporation". www.soyinfocenter.com. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  12. ^ Shurtleff, William; Aoyagi, Akiko (2012). History of Soy Sauce (160 CE to 2021): Extensively Annotated Bibliography and Sourcebook (PDF). Lafayette, CA: Soyinfo Center. ISBN 978-1-928914-44-0. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  13. ^ Kikkoman History (1917-1969）, Kikkoman Corporation
  14. ^ "Making Soy Sauce". Kikkoman Corporation. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  15. ^ "Japanese designer behind iconic soy sauce bottle dies at 85". ABS-CBN News. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  16. ^ "soymilk business". kikkoman corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  17. ^ "del monte business". kikkoman corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
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