Kikkoman India Releases Second Instalment of Kikkoman Manga
On August 10, 2026, Kikkoman India announced the launch of the second instalment of its Kikkoman Manga series, a storytelling initiative that showcases Kikkoman Soy Sauce to restaurant owners and chefs. The first instalment was introduced in 2025 and made available in six Indian languages – English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.
The new manga continues the narrative of Pramod, a cook, and Varun, a young owner‑chef, as they confront a fresh crisis that threatens their restaurant’s future. The series has already reached more than 30,000 Indian chefs, restaurant owners, students and other readers, thereby promoting the use of Kikkoman’s naturally brewed soy sauce.
Central to the storyline is a novel menu item named 8×8 (Eight‑by‑Eight). The dish was created by Chef Ryosuke Tamura of Itsuka, a Michelin‑starred Chinese restaurant in Tokyo. Inspired by the Japanese‑style Chinese dish Happosai and his experiences in India, Chef Tamura combined eight distinct spices with eight ingredients to produce a gravy‑style preparation that retains the natural colours of the components, thanks to Kikkoman’s naturally brewed soy sauce. This contrasts with the darker hues typical of many Chinese restaurants in India that rely on dark soy sauce.
Celebrated Indian chef Vicky Ratnani commented on the initiative, noting that Chinese and Asian cuisine is the top‑trending food category in India and that the manga’s use of Japanese storytelling is an effective tool to engage young chefs who are avid manga readers. He affirmed that the promotion of Kikkoman’s naturally brewed soy sauce through this medium is likely to be a successful addition to Kikkoman India’s ongoing promotional and awareness‑building efforts over the past five years.
Through the manga and the 8×8 concept, Kikkoman India aims to accelerate the evolution of Chinese cuisine in India and generate new value for its naturally brewed soy sauce. Kikkoman India is solely responsible for importing all Kikkoman products and manages production, marketing, sales and distribution within the country.
The Kikkoman Centre for Chinese Cuisine (KCC) supports the development of Chinese culinary culture in India by disseminating information, training young chefs, organizing technical exchanges and pioneering new menu items. Its founding members are Chef Joel Huang of Eau Chew restaurant, Kabir Advani of Berco’s, Chef Manjit Gill – President of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations, and Osamu Mogi, Senior Managing Director of Kikkoman Corporation.
About Kikkoman
Kikkoman’s history spans over 350 years, with the current corporate entity formed through the merger of eight families in 1917. The company began its internationalisation nearly 70 years ago with entry into the United States market and now operates in more than 100 countries, with 11 soy sauce production sites worldwide serving millions of consumers.
Media Contact
Chavi Singh, chavi@kikkomanindia.com, +91 86554 21677