The Umami Flavours That Stand the Test of Time

Soy sauce is a Chinese liquid condiment that is originally created from a fermented

soybean paste and is thought to have a strong umami flavour. Its current form was

developed around 2,200 years ago during the Western Han dynasty of ancient China. It

is now used in cooking and as a condiment throughout East and Southeast Asia and

even other western country in this whole wide world.

According to Hup Seng Sauce, the process of making a good soy sauce started from

getting good ingredients. Hup Seng Sauce only use the best quality of soybean

imported from China. The first step of producing soy sauce is to wash the soybeans

thoroughly. After getting those soybeans cleansed, they would be bringing to boil until

soften. The cooked soybeans which are already soft are set aside to be cooled.

Once the soybeans are cooled, they are mixed with wheat flour as a water absorber

and catalyst of fermentation when they are then placed into a bamboo winnowing tray

for fermentation which takes four-day time. There are few industrial fans in front of those

cute little soybeans to bring them to dry and maintain the ventilation of the space in

order to enhance the fermentation of soybeans. It is indeed having an awful smell when

those soybeans are fermentating. A sour odour penetrates deep into your nostrils and

pass through your sensory nerves to your brain cells.

After getting those soybeans being well fermented, it is time for them to start becoming

soy sauce. Big fibre jars are prepared to put those fermented soybeans, liquid with 25%
concentration of salt would be added into the jar together with those soybeans for

second fermentation. Those enclosed jars are placed below hot sun for 4 months.

Water would literally evaporate more than half and the liquid inside those jars is now

authentic soy sauce which has the salt concentration of more than 50%.

Nevertheless, it is still not the final form of product that could be sell straight away to

the market. Government permitted flavourings and sugar would be added accordingly to

upgrade the flavour of fermented soy sauce as what we tasted from the markets. After

seasoning and adjusting, they are then well prepared to be packed into small jars or

bottles to be sold.

The extraction mentioned above was the first extract of soy sauce. It is the most

flavourful piece of soy sauce since it has the thickest consistency and is the richest one

for its first extraction. Some other factories may have their different techniques and

claims that they get light soy sauce first and then only get the dark soy sauce after

longer time of fermentation. However, Hup Seng Sauce claims that they extract their

very first soy sauce after the longest period of time to get the best dark soy sauce first

only they started to get the afterwards light soy sauce.

When the soybeans have been greatly fermented to be as a soy sauce and the first

extraction has been done, the overall product has been gorgeous. Consequently, the

light soy sauce that would be extracted afterwards will also been affected of its quality

and tend to be better. Salt water is added again into the fibre jar and let to ferment again

and again for one week continuously until there is no more qualified light soy sauce that

could be extracted.
“Many people might differ the good dark soy sauce on the market by its sweetness.

However sad to say that, dark soy sauce which is normally comes from the first

extraction of the soy sauce fermentation supposed to be very salty at a high

concentration of salt at 50% yet taste no sweetness with it. The sweet taste comes from

additional caramel flavour to get a pretty black colour and sweet taste to upgrade its

value,” said Tam Kong Weng, Tam Bak Choo’s son.

The ways to test the quality of a good soy sauce are not about how it tastes at first;

maybe specifically the sweet taste. We are told to taste its flavour, how long-lasting the

taste is, will the soy sauce taste too salty or too sour and whether the fermenting smell

is too strong.

Some other good soy sauces will also add in some fruits or vegetables to get different

flavour and make it vary from other similar products that are sold on the market. It is the

key of success too; where everyone definitely would seek for something different which

is delectable and a joyous experience to have with. Hup Seng Sauce do have their own

secret recipe instead of the regular routine but of course, it is their commercial

confidential information that is prohibited to share.

Their business slowly grows up and there are more and more sauces added into their

product list. Garlic chilli sauce, vegetarian sauce and plum sauce are some of their

famous sauces added into the new list. This is indeed a great starting point to develop

their business; providing more and more options to their customers in which not just

only giving extra benefits for current customers but also attracting more other potential

customers when they finally explored this particular factory that did provide a vast array

of sauces to be used in cooking their dishes. Even hawkers and restaurants can get
many required sauces at one place. It is convenient, and it is good for them to purchase

in bulk for different types of sauces needed so that they could relatively get their stock

at a lower price.

After decades of working hard for his family’s bread and butter, Tam Bak Choo’s sons,

Tam Kong Choy and Tam Kong Weng who started to work in the factory ever since they

were still studying in primary school finally become the second-generation heir of this

family business. Both brothers work hand in glove to improve the business especially

after Mr Tam Bak Choo had passed away, they then become the owners of Daily

Sauce.

The first thing they did is to make other competitors their acquisition. A very simple

theory to be know is, there is no fair competition is business field. The person who

possessed better intelligent and work more wisely win the race.

They started slowly and sustainably to grow the business while keep the original-

owned brand’s sauce products on track but to get more customers from other

competitors when those competitors’ brand had been under Daily Sauce company.

At 2013, Hup Seng Sauce got its factory expanded to nearly 3 times of its original size

to increase production level and fulfilled the market demand. We look it as a stepping

stone for a company to start growing the size of the business directly. At least the output

is raising, the demand is getting bigger. As a grocery product, it is hard to have

dramatical drop of demand in a sudden. Hence, the decision to expand the factory is a

hundred percent wise.

 Besides, it is interesting to know that the Tam brothers’ business mode is to deliver

stocks on their own. They decided to deliver their products to customers one by one

everyday with their own feet. It is because supplying to supermarkets or grocery store

will reduce the profit earned and would definitely be having debt from them.

According to Invest Northern Ireland, a regional business development agency shows

a report that indicates products supplied to supermarket may only be given a trial

period on the supermarket shelf and have to keep your products up with demand and

sell well. Consequently, supplier may have to invest in new equipment or expand

premises to manufacture more of your products; in other words, your expenses are

higher.

By now, there are only few ways to get Daily Sauce products. The first is to walk in to

Hup Seng Sauce factory to purchase them or get quotation to order in bulk. The second

way is to contact them through their Facebook page at Hup Seng Sauce and the third

options is to order them through Shopee app at @meet_max. This limitation might

restrict the chance to develop, but it is the best way to maximize the profit for a business

company.

Until today, Hup Seng Sauce has their business in many corners of northern to middle

part and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. We are still looking forward to a brighter

tomorrow of Hup Seng Sauce and Daily Sauce company.

- Goji berry
- Red dates