THE OPPORTUNITY
Kikkoman, America's leading soy sauce brand, sought to broaden appeal by creating sauces aligned with everyday American tastes. Leveraging the 2017 butter-soy fusion trend, the focus was on developing a rich butter soy sauce and a sticky glaze for ribs/proteins—fusing umami with familiar bold, savory profiles.

OUR WORK

• Iterated butter soy sauce prototypes: optimized milk fat-to-sodium balance for stable emulsion (no separation) and smooth texture; developed a smoky variant

• Created a smoky soy sauce using cherry and mesquite wood extracts to blend their low sodium soy 

• Created sticky glaze using Kikkoman Poke Sauce base, layered with vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire, and subtle BBQ notes—delivering an Americanized tonkatsu-style finish

Developed a clean-label furikake seasoning: soy-forward, minimal-ingredient blend for rice, salads, and snacks, extending core soy equity into versatile dry formats

THE RESULT
Sauces + furikake earned strong praise from Kikkoman for innovatively adapting soy sauce into household-friendly American formats. Prototypes expanded brand relevance across grilling, fusion meals, and everyday seasoning—primed for future launch and category growth.