Amplifying Flavor with Umami

At SPI Group, we’re always looking for ways to help our customers create food products

that stand out. Our most recent SPI Group seminar was created in partnership with

Nikken Foods, where we explored how umami-rich ingredients can amplify flavor

naturally and deliver an unforgettable eating experience.

Umami is found in everyday foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, seaweed, miso, and aged

cheeses. When used intentionally, it enhances complexity, roundness, and lingering

satisfaction without relying on excess salt or artificial boosters. This makes umami a

powerful tool for formulators working across categories—from broths and sauces to

plant-based applications and snacks.

Nikken offers a wide portfolio of umami-forward ingredients, including soy sauce

powders, fermented rice powders, seafood and fish sauce powders, miso powders,

mushroom powders, vegetable extracts, seaweed powders, and custom blends. Each

one is designed to bring depth, richness, and craveable savoriness to a broad range of

formulations.

Looking to boost creaminess in a cheese sauce? Add roasted depth to a beef broth?

Accentuate bright, tangy notes in a tomato base? Nikken’s umami solutions help

developers achieve the ideal flavor profile—balanced, bold, and layered. Their

ingredient combinations can elevate everything from chicken and beef bouillons to

creamy dairy systems and savory plant-based dishes.

Whether you’re fine-tuning an existing formula or creating something brand-new, umami

might be the secret your product is missing. Contact your SPI Group account manager

to request a sample kit or schedule an umami training session. Let’s take your next

innovation to the next level – contact us today for your free umami kit!