Nov 30,2023
A Dutch family became so enchanted by the nutritional value of natto [fermented soybeans] that they began making it themselves and selling their homemade natto as a family business. Until recently, people in the Netherlands could buy only imported frozen natto at Asian supermarkets. But now natto is being made by Dutch people using Dutch-grown soybeans.
After graduating from the School of Integrated Health Sciences at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Medicine, Ohno Minaka is now pursuing a Master of Science in Food Science and Technology at the University of Copenhagen. She encountered NATTODAN’s natto at a fermentation festival held in Ede, the Netherlands, in the summer of 2022. This summer, she interviewed the CEO of NATTODAN to find out what distinguishes NATTODAN’s natto and how it differs from Japanese natto, and sent in this field report.
Ohno: Can you tell us about NATTODAN’s journey so far?
Our natto journey began with testing in 2010, and we officially started selling natto in 2013. Now, in 2023, NATTODAN is at a transition point. The founder continues to be involved in the company in an advisory role, but he is about to step down as representative, and we, the next generation, are taking over the day-to-day operations of the company. Nevertheless, through NATTODAN, we will continue the tradition of natto.
Maron Vondeling, the current CEO of NATTODAN
Ohno: How did you first come across natto?
Our founder discovered natto not out of interest in food, but because he experienced side effects from medication he was prescribed for a heart and blood vessel illness. He was looking for an alternative solution that didn’t involve medication, and that’s when he came across information about the calcium paradox and Japanese research on bone fractures. This led him to study about natto, and eventually we started making natto ourselves.
The founders, Mr. and Mrs. Vondeling, serve customers at a fermentation festival
Ohno: Can you explain further how you came to start producing natto?
A variety of supplements are sold in Europe that contain vitamin K2, and most of these are extracted from natto. Vitamin K2 works to strengthen bones, and as such, it was a solution to our health needs. But natto itself contains many more valuable nutrients, and we didn’t want to miss out on them. So our priority is on the natural nutrients contained in natto more than on synthesized supplements.
NATTODAN’s matured natto looks very similar to Japanese natto
Our family loves experimenting. In the past, we’ve tried making beer, soap, kombucha, and various other products, but we wound up ultimately making natto.
Ohno: Ten years have passed since you started making natto. Have you changed your production methods over this time? And what do you prioritize in the production process?
Making natto for the first time was a stimulating and educational experience. At the time, we were using an incubator oven that we had made by modifying an IKEA cabinet and controlling the heating element with a thermostat. We went through a lot of trial and error to find the right balance, but it was all worth it to get where we are today. Over these 10 years, we have made significant improvements to our production methods. Now we have installed professional-grade incubators that can both heat and cool, which has led to higher productivity.
Natto that has gone through the production process waits in an incubator to be shipped
A point of emphasis for us regarding the production process is expert skills and passing on knowledge to the next generation. Natto’s fermentation process is affected by many different variables, such as the soaking time, which itself is affected by the ambient temperature. While we strive for lean and efficient production, we also value experience-based craftsmanship for some products, such as natto with quinoa. Our goal is to preserve and refine this knowledge and skills so the NATTODAN tradition will continue.
Natto starter is manually packed into containers placed on a scale
This approach, which is tailored for each customer, has earned us high regard from customers. And we are always aiming to provide the very best natto experience.
Ohno: Have you eaten Japanese natto? How do Japanese natto and NATTODAN natto differ?
Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Japan yet, so I haven’t eaten fresh natto in Japan. I have eaten frozen made-in-Japan natto sold in Asian grocery stores here in the Netherlands. Compared to Japanese natto, our NATTODAN natto has larger, softer, and stickier beans and is rich in vitamin K2.
Compared to the small-grain natto that is common in Japan, NATTODAN natto has larger grains. The natto is very stringy when lifted with chopsticks.
We use Dutch soybeans because our objective is not to make a replica of Japanese natto. As a result, we use a different variety of soybeans that are slightly larger than the soybeans commonly used in Japan. Our focus is providing products with high nutritional value.
Ohno: I’ve heard that you recently switched from soybeans grown in China to soybeans grown in Netherlands. Why the change?
Until the beginning of 2023, we used Chinese-grown large-grain soybeans and small-grain soybeans for our natto, and we were satisfied with the results. Despite this, we did notice there were areas for improvement in terms of flavor, nutrition, and other aspects of quality. Around that time, we met a start-up that was producing various types of organic soybeans in the Netherlands. We carefully researched and considered the switch to Dutch-grown soybeans, and then made the change. We eventually found soybeans that contained the right amount of protein and sugar content, and now we use only organic Dutch soybeans.
Ohno: Do you do any processing to increase the nutritional value of your natto?
We have been looking for ways to increase the nutritional value of our products without using artificial additives. Natto already has the advantage of being gluten-free (making it ideal for those with gluten intolerance). But in addition to our standard natto product, we offer two other types: natto with barley, which is rich in vitamin K2, and natto with quinoa, which contains vitamin B.
Ohno: What are the benefits of your signature barley natto product?
Our barley natto has a high sugar content, providing an ideal, nutrient-rich environment for the bacteria during the fermentation process. This results in natto that contains 30 percent more vitamin K2 than our standard product. Barley is also a common ingredient in European cuisine and adds a familiar flavor to this natto.
Besides boosting the nutritional value, barley’s flavor and texture adds a nice accent to the natto
Ohno: Do you have a recommended way to eat natto that you can share with us?
There are several delicious ways to eat natto. You can put soy sauce on it, cook it into an omelette, or have it as a topping on a boiled egg. We have found, however, that our customers love to experiment with ways to eat natto. For example, some customers enjoy natto with yogurt.
Left: Natto garnished with sliced avocado and finely diced cucumber;
Right: Natto and red and green bell peppers on a cracker
We can provide recipes, but we want our customers to feel free to experiment and discover their own favorite ways to enjoy natto.
Ohno Minaka says she loves the combination of freshly cooked brown rice, natto, soy sauce, and a raw egg, if you have it. Kimchi is also a great addition.
Ohno: What are your customers like?
The age range is very wide, from 10 years old and up. Not many parents in this region feed their young kids natto, but our kids love it and eat it a lot. Our largest customer cohort are older people, many of whom have a history of heart or blood vessel disease or suffer from osteoporosis. Many customers buy natto looking for the health benefits, but others are interested in using natto in cooking.
NATTODAN is expanding its sales channels, starting with local people, via the Internet
We are currently considering retail sales in neighboring countries like Germany and Denmark to expand the market. The Netherlands on its own is a little small as a market for a niche product like natto, but our online store has already gained significant recognition in the BeNeLux [Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg] market.
Moving forward, we would like to increase the number of products with more processing, such as dried natto and natto cookies. We hope that natto recognition will steadily increase, and that more people will be able to enjoy the unique taste and benefits of natto.
Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1999, Ohno graduated from the School of Integrated Health Sciences at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Medicine and has been pursuing a Master of Science in Food Science and Technology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, since 2021. Her hobby is yoga, and she is obsessed with brown rice and miso soup.
NATTODAN started making natto in 2010 and started selling it in thier web store in 2013. The web store is already well recognized in the “Benelux” and the are considering selling thier products in brick-and-mortar stores outside the Netherlands. The eye-catching brand logo is a juxtaposition of the Chinese characters for “bean” and “man.” The logo represents a “man kissing a bean,” expressing the company's enthusiasm for natto.
https://www.nattodan.com/
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