Kikkoman Soy Sauce Celebrates 50th Anniversary

June 4 - KGO (KGO) -- Big name Japanese companies like Toyota and Honda have built plants in the U.S. in recent years. But a Japanese soy sauce maker beat them by decades, setting up shop in San Francisco 50 years ago.

Dwight Eisenhower was president in 1957, the Russians launched the first earth orbiting satellite, named Sputnik, Elvis starred in the movie, Jailhouse Rock and Kikkoman set up American headquarters in San Francisco.

50 years later, 60-percent of all soy sauce sold in America is Kikkoman. That's 31 million gallons, made at plants in Wisconsin and in Folsom, California.

Carol Notaras had soy sauce on her shopping list today.

ABC's Moneyscope Reporter David Louie: "Are you using a lot of soy sauce these days?

Carol Notaras: "Yes, I use a lot more because we're doing a lot more stir fry, vegetarian dinners at home."

America's taste for soy sauce allowed Kikkoman to branch out into other flavors, including teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce is now a global seasoning not restricted to Asian cooking.

Yuzaburo Mogi, Kikkoman chairman & CEO: "Internationally, American market is the largest, but in Europe, consumption has been growing."

European chefs now incorporate soy sauce into their dishes. Basque chef Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade turns to organic soy sauce for his octopus salad.

Gerald Hirigoyen, Piperade Owner and Executive Chef: "Soy sauce is a great element of cooking, and I love to use it in my vinaigrettes, in the marinades, I think, to kick and to bring all the flavors out."

It's common for soy sauce to accompany salmon, and even pig belly. Myth restaurant's Sean O'Brien says it helps to keep his cuisine light.

Sean O'Brien, Myth Restaurant: "It helps to almost give you those same components as you would get from butter and cream but in a lighter, leaner version."

While soy sauce may never be considered as all-American as ketchup and mustard, soy sauce still has become a major part of the American food scene, and some of us just can't live without it.

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