Kikkoman targets deeper foodservice engagement in India with Manga-led story campaign

India – Global Japanese brand Kikkoman, has introduced its signature soy sauce to India’s food market, distributing it to more than 1.5 million restaurant owners, by leveraging the cultural export of manga for a creative and engaging marketing approach.

By using Manga to convey the unique features of Kikkoman Soy Sauce, the company aims to encourage chefs, line cooks, junior chefs, and culinary school students to switch to Kikkoman to give their dishes a more robust flavour. 

For the first episode of the new Manga series, the company has launched a storyline titled “Varun & Pramod – Their Secret Ingredient”, highlighting how a single twist of authentic soy sauce can elevate every dish into something extraordinary.

The story entails Pramod, a chef with exceptional skills, who learns he is being fired from his job after unilaterally changing the restaurant’s menu. Amid all the tension, he coincidentally meets Varun, a restaurant owner-chef who has inherited his father’s restaurant. 

The two connect through their shared passion for cooking and work together to rebuild the restaurant, transforming it into a popular eatery by utilising the condiment they both swear by – Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Reacting to the marketing story, Chef Manjit Gill, President of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and Kikkoman India Industry Advisor, described a sense of nostalgia. 

“I was fondly reminded of my own younger days, when the hero was trying hard, making all possible effort to make dishes more delicious, using the best ingredients. I look forward to this story reaching out to a wide audience, making a real impact in India. In fact, I’m waiting impatiently for the next episode of this interesting Kikkoman Manga,” he said.

Chef Manjit strongly believes that Kikkoman’s message will resonate with many chefs in India, who are estimated to be more than 200,000, in the organized sector alone.

This aligns closely with the Kikkoman Manga project’s primary aim, which is to introduce the Kikkoman brand to chefs who are unfamiliar with it, to encourage chefs to consider trying Kikkoman, and to convey that Kikkoman Soy Sauce can also be used in Chinese cuisine.

Kikkoman India is currently focusing its efforts on engaging directly with top chain restaurants and large-format establishments to build brand recognition and drive adoption.

However, awareness remains relatively low among owners and chefs of smaller restaurants, as well as line and junior chefs and kitchen staff,  a gap the company hopes to bridge through targeted outreach and creative storytelling.

By utilising this compelling and relatable Manga format, Kikkoman aims to accelerate the journey of Kikkoman Soy Sauce toward becoming a vital ingredient in enhancing the taste across India’s diverse culinary landscape.

To eliminate any potential language barriers, the Kikkoman Manga has been made available in English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, and Marathi.

Kikkoman and Kikkoman India at a glance

With a history spanning over 350 years, the current Kikkoman corporate entity was established through the merger of eight families in 1917. The company’s internationalization strategy began some 60 years ago, with its entry into the United States market.

Kikkoman has become a global business, expanding to over 100 countries, with 11 soy sauce production sites worldwide that distribute its products globally to millions of consumers.

Kikkoman India is solely responsible for importing all Kikkoman products and managing production, marketing, sales, and distribution in India.