Yuasa Soy Sauce Ltd., the soy sauce division of the Marushinhonke brewery founded in 1881 in Yuasa, Wakayama Prefecture, also known as the birthplace of soy sauce in Japan, has announced an exciting new product.

For the past four years, and through a process of trial and error, they worked with Tomoé Saveur Co., Ltd., led by Kanako Satsutani, a chocolate sommelier who has been a judge of the International Chocolate Award since 2014, and the French bean-to-bar chocolate brand Erithaj, to develop and commercialize Cacao Jang, the world's first chocolate soy sauce.

Cacao Jang is made by soaking roasted cacao beans in Yuasa Soy Sauce's 九曜むらさき Kuyō Murasaki—a tamari sauce tracing its origins to the 19th century when soy sauce was accidentally discovered in the process of fermenting Kinsanjo miso—and aging it in a bottle.

Unscrew the lid and you'll be greeted by the mellow aroma of chocolate. The taste is completely new, combining the flavor and umami of chocolate and soy sauce.

Cacao Jang comes in two varieties, a paste type with a smooth mouthfeel and a quick flavor delivery, and a grain type that allows you to enjoy the texture of cacao and a more sustained tasting experience released as you chew. Chocolate has a sweet image, but since Cacao Jang doesn't use sugar, you can fully appreciate the other charms of chocolate such as aroma, flavor and umami.

---

Since chocolate is made by fermenting cocoa beans, Cocoa Jang represents a collaboration between two fermented foods. As such, Cacao Jang's unique profile makes it an excellent addition to poultry dishes featuring duck or chicken, as well as subtly-flavored fish like flounder or cod. It also adds umami and depth to curry dishes.

---

Cacao Jang comes in 140 g glass jars and costs 1,620 JPY (incl. tax) for both the paste and grain types. They can be delivered domestically within Japan. To order yours while the limited supply lasts, visit their product page here.