In the 2nd half of 2023, Malaysia-based Thean Heong Sauce Industry Bhd had launched a series of premium sauces which have superfoods in their ingredient contents.
These sauces are claimed to contain less sodium and carbohydrate and are healthy alternatives to the regular ethnic sauces found in the market. The new range of sauces include Superfood Soy Sauce, Superfood Dark Soy Sauce, Superfood Chilli Sauce and Superfood Tomato Sauce. Thean Heong also launched vegan sauces which include fish sauce and oyster sauce during the same period.
According to Dr. Kelvin Ong, the company’s General Manager and Technical and Certification Consultant, and ISO Auditor, “Our premium soy sauce went through a 800-days fermentation period, and is packed in a biodegradable sustainable recycled plastic bottle packaging. Not only that, our sauces use superfood ingredients like Black Garlic, Guarana, Panax Ginseng, Maca, Mushroom extract etc which are powerful natural antioxidants.” Dr Ong mentioned the health benefits of consuming its sauces which include boosting the immune system to maintaining a healthy heart. Its sauces are also made with 100% natural ingredients without any preservatives.
He also added that the longer fermentation period improves the quality and flavor of the soy sauces produced. He said, “The longer the soy sauce is aged, the better the flavour because it is enriched with flavour components. Enzymes will degrade proteins, polysaccharides, dissolving sugars and turning into lots of flavour compounds. Historically, the aging process takes about one year to produce soy sauce in the best condition. However, manufacturers of industrial-scale soy sauces modified the process with sophisticated technology to adjust the temperature and time used during manufacturing which allows them to make commercial soy sauce efficiently that only takes around 6 months.”
For Thean Heong, its soy sauces are fermented longer which allows the proteins in the soy (and wheat) to break down into the amino acids that lend the condiment its glutamate-rich content. Glutamates trigger the taste response we all know as umami, or perception of savoriness.
Thean Heong sauces are currently targeted to the larger middle-class consumers who have sufficient disposable incomes to spend on more expensive healthy and ‘green’ products. Currently, its superfood chilli sauces, as an example, are sold at between US$10-US$20 making them an affordable premium product belonging to the middle-range when it comes to pricing.
Thean Heong is looking to export its superfoods ethnic sauces and are willing to modify their products to meet the specific needs of international markets based on their varying regulations and consumer tastes.
Meanwhile, Thean Heong will also be launching a new house brand NILAH in February for its latest sweet soy sauce and dark soy sauce. These products will be launched just a few months before the festive Eid Fitr period and they are all Halal certified by JAKIM, a reputable government-linked certification agency which is also recognised globally.
