Kikkoman opens US$560M plant in USA
The new Wisconsin facility is Kikkoman Foods’ third US production site and is designed to strengthen supply capacity while supporting advanced food manufacturing and sustainability goals.
USA – Kikkoman Foods, the US subsidiary of Japanese soy sauce maker Kikkoman Corporation, has opened its new production facility in Jefferson, Wisconsin, marking the company’s third manufacturing plant in the United States.
Construction of the Jefferson facility began in April 2024, with soy sauce brewing operations starting in May 2026. Shipments from the plant are scheduled to begin in October.
The facility represents a planned investment of approximately US$560 million over 10 years. Together with Kikkoman Foods’ existing Walworth operations, the company says its investment in southeastern Wisconsin exceeds $800 million and is expected to create more than 80 jobs.
The Jefferson plant is also Kikkoman Group’s ninth soy sauce production base outside Japan. The company said its North American soy sauce business has continued to grow, with shipments from its Walworth plant increasing steadily. (Kikkoman)
The 240,000-square-foot Jefferson facility will manufacture soy sauce and soy sauce-related seasonings, including teriyaki sauce, for retail, foodservice and food manufacturing customers.
The state-of-the-art plant features a flexible manufacturing layout capable of producing multiple products with different viscosities and packaging formats. These include glass and BPA-free plastic containers, as well as industrial and bulk sizes.
Kikkoman said the facility incorporates advanced digital manufacturing tools supporting paperless operations, real-time data visualisation and enhanced product traceability.
The company said the plant will help meet growing demand for soy sauce across North America while strengthening its supply capabilities.
The Jefferson project also includes sustainability targets, with Kikkoman Foods aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 50% and water consumption per unit by more than 30%. The company is also targeting a 100% recycling rate by 2030.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has committed up to US$15.5 million in performance-based tax credits linked to capital investment and job creation benchmarks.
Kikkoman Foods is working with regional workforce development and technical education partners to support recruitment and training for advanced food manufacturing roles.
At the facility’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2024, Kikkoman Corporation Honorary CEO and Chairman Yuzaburo Mogi said: “Today, we are committing to an investment in the community of Jefferson and the state of Wisconsin. Kikkoman believes in Wisconsin, and we are grateful to this great state for believing in us.”
The Jefferson plant follows Kikkoman’s Walworth facility, which began shipments in 1973, and its Folsom, California, plant, which started shipments in 1998.
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