Masaki Saito holds up containers of his original condiment Koreiijan in Mito. Kazumichi Kubota MITO - A Chinese eatery in Ibaraki Prefecture is surviving the pandemic thanks to its own unique savory condiment that has proven popular for dishes made at home.
The local restaurant owner created the new, versatile topping that generated so much traction on social media that it is now available across the prefecture.
The product is called Koreiijan, which is a pun on the phrase, It's good, isn't it? Koreiijan is an oil-based condiment prepared with plenty of chopped sesame seeds, fried garlic, fried shallots and other ingredients. It boasts a savory texture and a crunchy taste.
I want it to become a regular item in each household, like mayonnaise, said Masaki Saito, 42, the creator of Koreiijan. It is packed with all the flavors in a Chinese wok. Saito is the owner of the restaurant Haoteki Shuhan Hao in the Minamimachi district of the city, which has been operating as an izakaya pub that mainly sells Chinese food and targets customers looking for a cozy place to drink after work.
But it lost many customers due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
Saito started selling lunches in spring last year, but the pandemic made it difficult for him to serve alcohol, which accounted for half of sales, for long periods.
As he was thinking about what else he could sell, Saito decided on the regular condiment he had made for take-out orders by delicious customers.
Koreiijan complements chilled tofu and other dishes with simple flavors, but it also goes well with mayonnaise. It is being promoted with the slogan: All you have to do is pour it over or mix it. In May 2020, Saito obtained authorization from the public health center to make it commercially available. Now he sells it from a food truck alongside bento boxed meals and he has asked his acquaintances to put the product in their eateries and shops.
He is also promoting the condiment at roadside rest areas in the prefecture.
As Saito made his big sales push, social media users started sharing recipes using Koreiijan for braised eggplants, onigiri rice balls flavored with shiso leaves and many other dishes.
Part of his sales strategy was to only suggest a few ways to use it to encourage each consumer to come up with their own ideas.
Its popularity on social media attracted the attention of a major supermarket chain and Koreiijan can now be found on the shelves of some of its outlets.
In August of this year, a specialty shop operated by the prefectural government started selling the condiment.
For Saito, the pandemic has changed his views as a restauranteur.
I don't think I can build back my business to focus on catering to drinking parties and offering free refills, Saito said.
Currently, reservations must be made to wine and dine at his restaurant.
Saito is making efforts to diversify his business, including selling bento from his food truck, setting up a food stall at events and selling Koreiijan.
He is now shipping about 2,000 units in large and small containers each month, with the entire process done manually from blending to bottling. He is considering mechanizing the production process to achieve his ambitious goal of Koreiijan attaining must-have status in kitchen cupboards across the nation.
A 120 gram container of Koreiijan sells for 540 yen $4.80 including tax, while a 330 gram container is priced at 1,080 yen.