Kikkoman Relaunches Dark Soy Sauce Tailored for Indian Palates
Kikkoman has announced the relaunch of its Dark Soy Sauce, specially developed and now further refined for the Indian market. The upgraded sauce, based on extensive feedback from chefs across India, boasts enhanced colour, taste, and consistency. It is designed to elevate Indo-Chinese and Pan-Asian cuisine, leveraging Kikkoman's honjozo natural brewing process.
Co-Creation with Indian Chefs
Since the initial launch, Kikkoman gathered nationwide feedback from chefs in local restaurant chains and independent eateries. The company observed three core elements: how well the sauce clings to ingredients in high-heat woks, how it imparts a lustrous dark colour, and how it retains deep umami. This led to three key modifications:
- Colour: An even more appealing intense dark colour without artificial colouring, essential for Indo-Chinese cuisine.
- Taste: Deepened umami profile, meticulously calibrated to maximize natural flavours.
- Consistency: Optimized viscosity for flawless clinging to ingredients like rice and noodles, ensuring easy handling and elegant presentation.
Mr. Kinya Igarashi, Product Manager for Kikkoman Dark Soy Sauce, said, "This revamp is truly the fruit of 'co-creation' between Indian chefs and Kikkoman. We visited local restaurant chain kitchens, asked chefs to test our prototypes on their actual menu items, and repeatedly fine-tuned the colour, taste, and thickness based on their real-time responses." He added, "Kikkoman took great pride in having developed this product to a quality that carries the stamp of approval from culinary professionals, all while staying true to the company's core concept of a dark soy sauce free from artificial colours and preservatives."
Chef Endorsements
Mr. Joel Huang, Owner-Chef of Eau Chew in Kolkata, India's oldest family-run Chinese restaurant, praised the revamped sauce. "Kikkoman's new Dark Soy Sauce is in a completely different league from anything that has come before in India. What surprised me most is its extraordinary umami and depth of flavour. Despite being a natural sauce - with no artificial colouring, artificial additives or artificial flavourings - Kikkoman's revamped dark soy sauce achieves the rich, dark colour and ideal consistency I look for." He added, "Our regular discerning customers love our food even because this sauce dramatically elevates the overall taste of our dishes. I believe it will set a new standard for India's foodservice industry going forward."
Product Details and Availability
The revamped Kikkoman Dark Soy Sauce is available in packaging sizes of 446g, 913g, and 11.2kg, targeting the commercial food service market. It is manufactured in India using Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce from Japan as the primary ingredient, fully compliant with the 'Make in India' initiative. The rolling transition started from June 2026, distributed through food service distributors and wholesale channels across India.
About Kikkoman
With a history spanning over 350 years, Kikkoman was established in its current corporate form in 1917. The company has expanded to over 100 countries with 11 soy sauce production sites worldwide. Kikkoman India manages all production, marketing, sales, and distribution in the country.
