Weeks after its debut at the world's largest natural products expo, Hanamaruki is pressing the advantage at home. The company's shio koji business has reached ¥2 billion ($13 million), a new TV campaign launches in April with one of Japan's best-known food creators, and the reduced-sodium variety appears in a commercial for the first time. Next target: ¥3–5 billion ($20–33 million).

The ¥2 Billion Milestone: A Decade of Steady Growth

On March 25, 2026, Hanamaruki, based in Ina, Nagano Prefecture, and led by president Shuichiro Hanaoka, held a press event in Tokyo to unveil new television commercials for its Liquid Shio Koji line. The headline number: the overall shio koji business, liquid and granular products together, reached ¥2 billion (about $13 million) in sales in fiscal 2025.

Liquid Shio Koji is made by ageing rice, koji and salt and pressing the result through a proprietary, patented process. Because no grains remain, it works both as a marinade and as a finishing seasoning.

Since the 2012 launch, sales have grown consistently year over year. The first quarter of 2026 continued the trend, and the company expects another record year with the boost from the new campaign.

As we previously reported, Hanamaruki made waves at Natural Products Expo West 2026 in Anaheim, California, earlier in March, announcing a 210ml consumer-sized bottle, an organic-certified model, and rebranded packaging designed for Western retail shelves. The domestic press event builds on that international momentum.

Nobuyuki Hirata, Director of Marketing, outlined the company's ambitions: "Our next target is ¥3 to 5 billion ($20–33 million). The potential of shio koji is enormous, and we're excited to see how far sales can grow."

New TV Campaign: Food Creator Asuka Wada Takes the Spotlight

The face of the new campaign is Asuka Wada, a food creator and food education instructor who has become one of Japan's most trusted voices on everyday home cooking. A mother of three, Wada is known for creative yet accessible recipes that resonate with busy families.

"Wada-san has been using Liquid Shio Koji for years and was already creating original recipes with it, approaches we never would have thought of ourselves," Hirata explained. "We wanted someone who could show the diverse ways this product can be used, and she was the perfect fit."

Wada described Liquid Shio Koji in enthusiastic terms: "It's the one seasoning that makes any dish come together. I use it every time I cook with chicken, Japanese, Chinese, Western, it doesn't matter. Liquid Shio Koji gives me incredible confidence in the kitchen."

At the event, Wada demonstrated a recipe from the new commercial: "Juicy Nori-Shio Karaage" (salt-and-seaweed-flavored fried chicken). The technique that caught everyone's attention? Instead of just marinating the chicken breast in shio koji to tenderize it, she drizzled Liquid Shio Koji directly onto the potato starch coating, deliberately creating lumps. These lumps transform into an extra-crispy shell when deep-fried, achieving the coveted crispy-outside, juicy-inside contrast.

Reduced-Sodium Type Makes Its Commercial Debut

The campaign consists of two commercials: "Cooking Transformed" and "Delicious Low Sodium." The reduced-sodium version of Liquid Shio Koji, launched in 2024, appears in a TV commercial for the very first time.

Wada revealed that she uses both varieties strategically: "When I want one seasoning to carry the whole dish, I use the regular type. When I'm combining it with other seasonings, I go with the reduced-sodium version since I want less salt in the base layer." She added an unexpected insight: "The reduced-sodium type actually lets you taste the koji aroma more intensely, so I prefer it for quick pickles and salads."

Hirata offered a possible explanation: "With less salt competing for your palate's attention, the koji fragrance may come through more clearly."

The reduced-sodium version cuts salt content by 50% compared to the regular product while maintaining full enzyme activity, meaning the tenderizing and umami-enhancing effects are identical. Commercial recipes include "Chinese Restaurant-Style Shio Koji Fried Rice" for the regular type and "No-Mayo Shio Koji Potato Salad" for the reduced-sodium version, with three dishes featured for each variety.

A Two-Front Strategy: Domestic and International

The press event also provided an update on the overseas push. Hirata reflected on the response at Expo West: "So many attendees came to listen and learn. We strongly felt that koji, fermentation, and umami are getting serious worldwide attention."

Here's where the international strategy currently stands:

  • The 210ml consumer-sized bottle marks Hanamaruki's first serious move into overseas retail, previously, international sales focused on the food service industry
  • An organic-certified model targets the massive US organic market
  • Rebranded packaging with minimalist Western design aesthetics and the "Cultured" tagline (a double meaning referencing both fermentation and Japanese culture)
  • A fully relaunched English-language brand website with recipes and educational content
  • Current international presence spans more than 30 countries

"Until now, we hadn't actively pursued general retail sales overseas," Hirata said. "Starting with America, we're launching consumer sales and plan to expand to more countries."

TV, Web, and In-Store: An Integrated Marketing Push

The new commercials begin airing nationwide on April 1. Hanamaruki is simultaneously deploying an integrated marketing strategy that connects television, digital, and physical retail.

In-store elements include recipe leaflets designed for tasting events, posters, point-of-purchase displays, and neck seals attached directly to the bottles. A dedicated recipe website, "Asuka Wada's Liquid Shio Koji Encore Recipes", launched on the same day as the press event, featuring all dishes from the commercials.

The mid-commercial callout "Recipes available online" drives viewers directly to the special site, creating a seamless TV-to-digital-to-kitchen pipeline.

What This Means for the Global Fermented Seasoning Market

Gut health awareness, clean-label demand and the plant-based movement have all been tailwinds for fermented seasonings, particularly in North America. Liquid Shio Koji's compatibility with virtually every dietary framework (vegan, gluten-free, allergen-free, non-GMO, halal, kosher) fits that shift neatly.

What's notable about the ¥2 billion milestone is what it represents: proof that shio koji was not a passing fad. The 2012 "shio koji boom" in Japan sparked widespread consumer interest, but many food trends fade within a few years. The fact that sales have continued climbing for over a decade suggests genuine, lasting demand, the kind of foundation a global expansion can be built on.

With Asuka Wada's new commercials reminding Japanese households of the product's versatility, and the 210ml bottle soon appearing on American store shelves, Liquid Shio Koji is entering a new chapter. Whether "SHIO KOJI" follows "MISO" and "SHOYU" into the global culinary vocabulary may depend on how the next year unfolds.

What role do fermented seasonings play in your kitchen? Is there a fermented condiment you couldn't live without? We'd love to hear from you!

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