This article is a tie-up with the Niigata Prefecture Federation of Small Business Associations and Manufacturing Support Centre.

Numerous attractive companies are active in Niigata Prefecture. This section picks up 'Change Leaders' who create new value by 'changing themselves positively'.

In the 17th edition, Kobayashi Soy Sauce Shop produces soy sauce using traditional methods without artificial temperature control. It has developed a naturally brewed soy sauce using wheat grown in the prefecture, which was once no longer produced.

I want to produce soy sauce with ingredients from Niigata Prefecture.

Consumption of soy sauce is declining due to the shift away from Japanese food. Soy sauce companies are developing new markets by producing processed soy sauce products such as mentsuyu. In this situation, Kobayashi Soy Sauce Shop continued to sell only traditional soy sauce and miso.

The company started producing processed soy sauce products when Teppei, the fourth generation, joined the family business in 2011. As a late entrant, he developed highly original products such as Salmon Murasaki, a soy sauce using salmon shavings instead of bonito flakes, Salmon Tsuyu, a soy sauce base, and Kamo Suko, a Japanese-style dry sauce reminiscent of Tabasco.

In 2014, the company decided to develop a soy sauce using wheat and soya produced in the prefecture, taking advantage of the strengths of a small brewery that prepares its own soy sauce from raw materials, with the aim of creating a safe soy sauce in which all producers are visible. The background to this was the revival of the prefecture's wheat, which had once fallen to zero production, thanks to the development of a new variety, Yukichikara. A wheat roaster and labelling machine were installed to roast the wheat produced by local farmers, using a 2014 supplementary manufacturing grant.

After a trial and error process, in 2017 the company launched Toki Murasaki, a soy sauce made from ingredients produced in the prefecture, with the names of the producers of the soya beans and wheat printed on the label. Currently, the company is steadily expanding its sales channels through exhibitions, direct sales and the internet.

advertisement

To use wheat and soya produced in the prefecture To develop a soy sauce unique to Murakami City

We used to buy roasted wheat, but if we had to buy it directly from the farmers, we would have to roast the wheat ourselves. Therefore, we took advantage of a manufacturing grant and introduced a 'soy sauce brewing wheat roasting machine'. We can now do everything from purchasing to sales completely in-house. A semi-automatic labelling machine was also purchased. The labelling process, which used to be done by hand, has been mechanised, saving a lot of time and effort.

• The heated wheat rotates and moves through the,
• fall down
• Materials such as glass and plastic bottles,
• Can be neatly rolled regardless of size.

Exhibit at trade fairs to sell outside the province.

When the soy sauce was commercialised in November 2017, it participated in a number of exhibitions. In Tokyo, the product was exhibited at a product exhibition, which helped the company to gain a sales channel at food outlets in the city. It also exhibited at the Food Messe in 2018, at the invitation of the Central Association. This was an opportunity to introduce 'Toki Murasaki' to existing customers and led to new product recognition and sales channel expansion, as new customers signed contracts for products they had not dealt with before.

• At the Food Messe, some talks led to business negotiations.
• To share development thoughts.
• Made a flyer for the product.

Communicate the uniqueness of raw materials and production methods through design.

Teppei started developing new products. When he decided to take a different approach, he began to focus on design. For Salmon Murasaki, he asked a designer to "change the image of traditional soy sauce" and created a sophisticated packaging. For Toki Murasaki, an external adviser pointed out that we should make the ingredients and production process stand out, and this led to the current design.

• The dry Japanese sauce 'Sake Suko' was designed with the target group of young people in mind.
• There is also a strong focus on gift packaging.

Products that can only be produced by a small brewery that continues to use traditional production methods.

Kobayashi Soy Sauce Shop is a small, family-run brewery. It cannot produce in large quantities like the big companies, but it uses the traditional method of purchasing raw materials and maturing them slowly. The farmers do not produce a lot of wheat. We purchase that wheat and use the same old methods to make soy sauce. It is only because we are a small brewery that we are able to repeat small challenges. The result is Toki Murasaki, made from wheat and round soybeans grown in Niigata Prefecture. Our production volume may be small, but we want to continue to carefully produce safe and secure soy sauce and miso one by one.

Teppei Kobayashi, 4th generation.

Two year old naturally brewed soy sauce made from whole soybeans "Toki Murasaki".

Both wheat and round soybeans are 100% grown in Niigata Prefecture. The name 'Toki Murasaki' was chosen in the hope that it will become a symbol of Niigata in the future, just like the Toki heron, which has made a comeback from the brink of extinction.

Company profile

Limited partnership Kobayashi Soy Sauce Shop

The miso and soy sauce brewing business was founded by Heiichiro Kobayashi I in 1935 (Showa 10). Initially, the company also carried out woodworking and furniture manufacturing. Incorporated in 1965 (Showa 40) and further changed to 'Limited Partnership Kobayashi Soy Sauce Store' in 1971 (Showa 46). While many soy sauce companies purchase raw soy sauce that has already been prepared halfway through the brewing process, Kobayashi Soy Sauce Shop brews soy sauce completely in-house, without artificial temperature control, and uses a slow brewing process that takes more than a year to complete.

Address: 543-1 Otsu, Murakami City

tel: 0254-62-2088

HP：http://www.kobayashi-shoyu.co.jp