KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — As our palates evolve and global influences seep into every meal, there is a quiet but growing move away from mass production and a return to the patient art of small-batch craft.

Imagine the soy sauce we douse half boiled eggs with on our breakfast table or the fiery chilli sauce drizzled over noodles, rice or whatever we fancy.

Increasingly, we care more and more about where these condiments come from and how they are made. We listen to the stories of the people who made them.

To understand this shift, I spoke with three local sauce makers: Shirley Chia of Mu Artisan Soy Sauce, a third generation producer of handcrafted soy sauce; brothers Kevin Ong and Philip Ong of Bintang Flavours, purveyors of chilli and hot sauces; and Ley Vin Khoo and Bryan Tan of Shoyu Bros, the first Malaysian made Japanese shoyu.

What emerged from our conversation was less a debate and more a shared reflection — on how taste, time and tradition continue to shape our palate.

For Shirley, our evolving taste is as much about openness as it is about awareness. She observes, “As a diverse nation exposed to global influences, Malaysians today are more open-minded and adventurous with food.” 

She adds, “I also see more awareness about where our food comes from. Beyond price, I hope people will care more about who is behind the product, and the transparency of how it’s made.”

Her soy sauces — from the earthy Gula Melaka Soy Sauce to the bright Pomelo Soy Sauce — reflect this balance of the familiar and the fresh. 

“We respect the traditional foundation of soy sauce,” she says, “but we also want to infuse local character into it. It’s about celebrating Malaysian ingredients and stories while keeping that comforting taste people recognise.”

That spirit of experimentation is alive at Bintang Flavours too, where Kevin and Philip have built a loyal following for their locally made chilli and hot sauces. 

“Malaysians are becoming more adventurous, exploring new flavours and concoctions,” Kevin notes. “Our Tropical Rumble — a habanero and pineapple hot sauce — has been steadily growing in popularity.”

Philip adds, “This trend excites us to explore more tropical fruit pairings for our next creations.”

Over at Shoyu Bros, Ley Vin and Bryan see this evolution as something beautifully fluid. “We’re becoming more curious, more open to global flavours, but at the same time more appreciative of our roots,” says Ley Vin. “What’s truly Malaysian isn’t static — it’s a living blend of influences that evolves with us.” 

Bryan puts it succinctly: “Our shoyu is Japanese in technique but deeply Malaysian in spirit — fermented in our tropical climate, influenced by local terroir, and designed to complement our food culture.”

If there’s a thread connecting these artisans, it’s the deep respect for the actual process of making these Asian condiments.

“For us, fermentation is both science and soul,” says Ley Vin of Shoyu Bros. “We rely on time-honoured processes — nine months in wooden barrels, guided by koji — but we also embrace modern tools to understand what’s happening on a deeper level.” 

Bryan elaborates: “We track temperature, humidity, and microbial activity with precision, but ultimately it’s still about intuition — knowing how the mash smells, how it breathes, how it feels. Controlled environments didn’t take away from the craft; they enhanced consistency while preserving character.”

At Mu Artisan Soy Sauce, Shirley frames this balance in terms of art and science. “Art is the passion — it’s how we respond to uncontrollable variables like weather or the temperament of the koji mould. Science lets us measure those variables, helping us ensure quality and aroma. The craft survives when both coexist — art keeps the soul alive; science keeps it sustainable.”

For the Ong brothers of Bintang Flavours, innovation often begins with small, traditional batches before scaling up carefully. 

“Our principle is to keep our sauces as natural as possible,” Kevin explains. “We start with handcrafted batches, then explore commercial methods that preserve flavour integrity.” 

Their process includes collaboration with other boutique makers abroad. “We learn from one another, sharing ideas and techniques,” adds Philip.

He recalls a memorable experiment: “We struggled with texture consistency when blending lemongrass until an industrial blender, of all things, gave us the perfect balance between texture and flavour retention.”

In each case, technology doesn’t replace intuition — it refines it, allowing tradition to survive in a modern world that demands precision without compromise.

The conversation turns, inevitably, to the realities of scale. In a market dominated by mass-produced sauces, how do small producers convince Malaysians that craft is worth the price — and the wait?

For the Ong brothers, it starts with pride in the process. “We take pride in every bottle,” says Kevin. “We handpick our ingredients, know our farmers personally, and even test each batch at home with our families. We want our customers to taste that care.” 

Philip adds, “The heart of what we do lies in sourcing — finding the best farms and staying true to our principle of producing the most natural, flavourful sauces possible.”

Shoyu Bros takes a similar stance, but with a quiet reverence for time. “Mass-produced sauces serve convenience, and that has its place,” acknowledges Ley Vin. “But craft shoyu is about depth — allowing time to unlock flavours you can’t rush.” 

Bryan agrees: “Flavour takes time. Every drop reflects months of fermentation, patience, and the belief that Malaysians deserve craftsmanship on par with the world’s best.”

For Shirley of Mu Artisan, the challenge runs deeper than just price or convenience — it’s cultural. “It’s a very consuming journey,” she admits. “Our palates today are engineered — full of additives, always chasing for more ‘kick’.” 

What she hopes for is understanding. “When you choose an artisanal sauce, you’re not just buying a condiment. You’re choosing values — the belief that slow can be stronger, and real can be powerful. It’s about a lifestyle, a statement of what you stand for.”

Perhaps, as these artisans remind us, what endures most is not just taste, but time itself — the time it takes for soybeans to turn into soy sauce and shoyu, for chillies to find their perfect heat, for us to rediscover the beauty of eating with meaning.

Learn more:

Mu Artisan Soy Sauce: https://www.musees.com.my/

Bintang Flavours: https://bintangflavours.com/

Shoyu Bros: https://shoyubros.com/