Sakura Japansk Soja

Sakura Japansk Soja is a prominent soy sauce brand with a unique history that bridges Japan and Brazil. The brand was founded in 1940 by Suekichi Nakaya, a Japanese immigrant who moved to Brazil in the 1930s. Finding a lack of traditional Japanese ingredients in South America, he began producing shoyu (soy sauce) and miso, eventually establishing Sakura Nakaya Alimentos Ltda. Today, Sakura is the leading soy sauce manufacturer in Brazil, holding a significant market share and exporting to over 60 countries, including Sweden where the label 'Japansk Soja' (Japanese Soy) is commonly found.

Technically unique, Sakura soy sauce produced in Brazil often utilizes corn flour instead of wheat in the fermentation process, a legacy of regional ingredient availability that has resulted in a naturally gluten-free product. Despite its 'Japanese' branding and traditional fermentation techniques, the product is primarily manufactured in Brazil at the company's industrial plants in São Paulo and Goiás. The brand remains family-owned, under the leadership of the Nakaya family, specifically Renato Kenji Nakaya, the son of the founder. In European markets like Sweden, the product is distributed through various specialty Asian food wholesalers and major retailers.