IBARAKI (TR) – Food manufacturer Mizkan announced that it will raise the prices of its popular natto (fermented soybean) products by up to 20 percent starting June 1, citing soaring ingredient costs and the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
The suggested retail prices for the sticky Japanese breakfast staple will increase between 6 and 20 percent before tax. Popular items, including Kin no Tsubu Tare Tappuri! Tamago Shoyu Tare, will see their prices jump from 218 yen to 261 yen.
The company attributed the drastic price hike to the rising cost of soybeans, as well as a spike in the price of naphtha—a crucial component in manufacturing the polystyrene foam packs used to hold natto. Mizkan pointed to the ongoing Middle East crisis as the primary driver behind the naphtha price surge.
In a further blow to consumers, Mizkan also abruptly halted the sale of four products, including the plum-flavored “Kin no Tsubu Ume Fumi Kurozu Tare,” effective May 1.
The company stated that a timeline for resuming sales of the suspended items remains undecided, but noted that they will also be subject to the price hikes upon their return. Ultimately, all 19 of Mizkan’s natto products will be hit by the sweeping price adjustments.
“Depending on future trends in raw material costs, there is a possibility of further price revisions or impacts on our supply system,” a Mizkan representative warned.
