The Taste of Quality U-SIDE Co., Ltd.

At U-Side CO. Ltd., a small Kyoto-based seasoning manufacture, little things are the big difference. Yoshinori Kubota did not plan on making mayonnaise when he established the company in 1983. His later decision of including mayonnaise to the product lineup is because a number of products use he same ingredients and had similar production processes. Today, Sei-agri mayonnaise has become U-side’s flagship product.

U-Side has prioritized quality over quantity, although the company is still small and the overall production yields are low. All ingredients used in the products are natural, healthy, and of high grade, with no artificial flavor enhancers or preservatives added.

The process of mayonnaise production starts with the use of eggs that are contracted from farmers that use additive-free chicken feed, which are then delivered to U-Side fresh and unfrozen. The eggs are mechanically cut open with a diamond cutter and the whites are separated from the yolks. The yolks are then mixed with a specific blend of oil, vinegar, and spices and placed in a vacuum-mixing chamber to ensure that the oxidation of the products can be minimized. After the mayonnaise has been blended to a thick and creamy consistency, it will be bottled by hand with nitrogen injected to prevent oxidation.

The company has partnered with various local producers of seasonings, sauces and dressings to expand its portfolio. From traditional black vinegar to Kyoto-grown vegetable dressings, U-Side has a variety of complementary tastes to further satisfy their customers’ culinary cravings.

U-Side’s products, like all high-quality foods, command a premium price. They sell in higher-end department stores and select retailers across Japan as well as in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Through its international sales and research, the company has found that each market their own preference for different products. In Western countries, there’s a demand for more subtle Japanese flavors whereas in Asia, the trends is more toward the mainstream tastes.

In addition to their own products, U-Side also produces OEM products with unique recipes and ingredients for other distributors. As the company looks to increase its international sales, it hopes to produce more OEM products for international clients. This way, they can produce goods localized for each target market’s tastes without trial-and-error.

U-Side’s mayonnaise, dressings and sauces make up only a small fraction of the massive global condiment marketplace. But like other companies in Japan, U-Side has decided to push its levels of excellence within that market to new heights. This insistence continues to be the magic ingredient for this small company with a high quality of taste.