Author: Doyoubo

A bottle of soy sauce may look simple, but behind every bottle are choices about ingredients, farming, brewing, quality, and the people who make it possible.

At DoYouBo, we believe value should not be measured by price alone.

From working with local farmers in Taiwan to brewing with whole soybeans and preserving the full character of naturally brewed soy sauce, every decision reflects our commitment to quality and Taiwanese agriculture.

Here is the story behind every bottle of DoYouBo.

It Starts with Taiwan-Grown Ingredients

Great soy sauce begins with great ingredients.

DoYouBo works with local farmers through contract farming and uses non-GMO soybeans grown in Taiwan for our soy sauce production.

Through stable farming and purchasing partnerships, we aim to build a closer relationship between agriculture and food production while providing farmers with greater stability.

For us, choosing local ingredients is not simply about where they come from. It is about supporting the people and land behind Taiwanese food culture.

Whole-Bean Brewing, Without Diluting the Flavor

At DoYouBo, we believe soy sauce should preserve the natural character created through brewing.

That is why we insist on whole-bean brewing and do not dilute the original soy sauce simply to reduce production costs.

The flavor, aroma, and depth of soy sauce are developed through ingredients, fermentation, and time.

Rather than taking shortcuts, we focus on allowing those elements to create the character of the finished soy sauce.

Quality Beyond the Minimum Standard

Quality is often found in the details consumers cannot immediately see.

DoYouBo soy sauces are produced with quality standards that go beyond simply meeting the basic requirements for soy sauce in Taiwan.

From ingredient selection to brewing and quality management, our goal is not merely to make a product that meets a standard, but to create soy sauce with flavor, quality, and character we can stand behind.

Our product range also includes options developed for different dietary needs. According to our product testing, most DoYouBo soy sauces, with the exception of the kombu series, have passed gluten-free testing.

A Shorter Supply Chain, More Value in the Ingredients

As our brewing experience and production scale have grown, we have continued to look for ways to improve efficiency without compromising the ingredients or the quality of our soy sauce.

One approach is to reduce unnecessary distribution costs and maintain a shorter supply chain.

Instead of lowering costs by compromising raw materials or diluting flavor, we aim to put more value back into the ingredients and brewing process.

For us, efficiency should help protect quality—not replace it.

Supporting Taiwanese Farmers

Every bottle of soy sauce is connected to agriculture.

Through contract farming, DoYouBo works with Taiwanese farmers to create a more stable relationship between crop production and food manufacturing.

When locally grown grains continue to have a place in everyday food products, their value extends beyond a single harvest.

It supports farmers, encourages continued cultivation, and helps preserve the connection between Taiwanese agriculture and the food we eat.

This is why choosing Taiwanese ingredients is an important part of the DoYouBo story.

More Than a Bottle of Soy Sauce

When you pick up a bottle of DoYouBo soy sauce, you are holding more than a seasoning.

Behind it are Taiwan-grown ingredients, local farmers, brewing craftsmanship, time, and a commitment to quality.

We believe good food should create value throughout its journey—from the field where the crops are grown to the table where families share their meals.

That is the value we hope to preserve in every bottle of DoYouBo.

More than soy sauce, it is a taste of Taiwan and the people behind it.

Soy sauce is made from soybeans—so why is wheat often part of the recipe?

At DoYouBo, wheat is not simply an additional ingredient. It plays an important role in the brewing process, from supporting koji cultivation to helping develop the aroma and flavor of the finished soy sauce.

Understanding the role of wheat also offers a closer look at how traditionally brewed soy sauce develops its character over time.

Soybeans and Wheat Play Different Roles

Soybeans are an important source of protein in soy sauce brewing.

Wheat, meanwhile, provides carbohydrates and nutrients that support the growth of koji during the early stages of fermentation.

Together, soybeans and wheat create the foundation for the microorganisms and enzymes involved in the brewing process.

This is one reason why the choice and handling of ingredients can have such an important influence on the final flavor of soy sauce.

Why Is the Wheat Roasted?

At DoYouBo, soybeans are first cooked with water until they reach the appropriate texture.

After cooking, a small amount of roasted wheat is added before the ingredients move on to the koji-making stage. According to DoYouBo’s brewing process, the amount of wheat used at this stage is approximately 10% of the amount of soybeans.

Roasting also helps bring out the characteristic aroma of the wheat, which contributes to the flavor development of the soy sauce during fermentation.

Wheat Helps Support Koji

Koji is one of the most important stages in traditional soy sauce brewing.

The carbohydrates and nutrients provided by wheat help create an environment for koji to develop. During this stage, enzymes begin preparing the ingredients for the long fermentation process that follows.

At DoYouBo, the prepared ingredients are transferred to a controlled koji-making environment before continuing to the brining and fermentation stages.

This combination of ingredients, microorganisms, time and careful process control helps build the foundation of the finished soy sauce.

Building Aroma and Flavor Through Fermentation

Wheat also contributes to the aroma and flavor profile of brewed soy sauce.

Once koji making is complete, the ingredients are combined with brine and allowed to ferment naturally over an extended period.

At DoYouBo, soy sauce is naturally fermented for at least 120 days, giving the ingredients time to gradually develop deeper aroma, color and flavor.

During fermentation, naturally occurring compounds—including small amounts of alcohol—may also be produced as part of the brewing process. This is one reason simple methods such as shaking a bottle and judging the foam are not reliable ways to determine whether a soy sauce has been naturally brewed.

What Is Total Nitrogen in Soy Sauce?

Another way soy sauce quality can be evaluated is through measurable indicators such as total nitrogen.

Because soybeans and other brewing ingredients contain protein, nitrogen levels can be used as one indicator when evaluating brewed soy sauce.

Rather than relying only on appearance, foam or color, scientific testing provides measurable information about the characteristics and quality of the finished product.

What About Gluten?

Because wheat is used in the brewing process, consumers with wheat allergies or specific dietary requirements should always check the ingredient and allergen information for each individual product.

Some DoYouBo soy sauces have been tested with no gluten detected according to the applicable testing standard. However, products brewed with wheat still identify wheat as an allergen on their ingredient labels.

For this reason, consumers should refer to the labeling and testing information of the specific product rather than assuming that all traditionally fermented soy sauces have the same gluten status.

More Than Just Soybeans

Soy sauce may begin with soybeans, but every ingredient has a role to play.

From whole soybeans and roasted wheat to koji, brine and months of fermentation, each stage contributes to the final aroma and flavor.

For DoYouBo, understanding these ingredients is part of understanding the craft behind Taiwanese soy sauce—where traditional brewing knowledge and modern process control work together in every bottle.

Soy sauce may look simple in the bottle, but creating its aroma, depth, and umami takes time.

At DoYouBo, soy sauce brewing combines traditional Taiwanese craftsmanship with modern production management. From preparing whole soybeans and making koji to adding brine and allowing the mixture to ferment for months, each stage plays an important role in developing the final flavor.

Here is a closer look at how DoYouBo turns soybeans into naturally brewed Taiwanese soy sauce.

It Starts with Taiwan-Grown Ingredients

Great soy sauce begins with carefully selected ingredients.

DoYouBo works with local farmers in Taiwan through contract farming and uses locally grown non-GMO grains, including soybeans, black soybeans, small black soybeans, and wheat across its soy sauce range.

Working closely with local agriculture allows us to build a stronger connection between the ingredients, the farmers who grow them, and the soy sauce produced in Pingtung.

For DoYouBo, brewing soy sauce begins long before fermentation—it begins in the fields.

Step 1｜Preparing and Cooking the Soybeans

The brewing process begins with whole soybeans.

At DoYouBo, the soybeans are cooked with water for approximately 40 minutes until they reach the appropriate texture for the next stage of brewing.

After cooking, a small amount of roasted wheat is added before the soybeans are transferred to the koji-making room.

This prepares the ingredients for one of the most important stages in soy sauce brewing: koji making.

Step 2｜Making Koji

Koji plays a key role in developing the character of naturally brewed soy sauce.

After the soybeans are cooked and combined with roasted wheat, they are transferred to a dedicated koji-making room for approximately 2 to 3 days.

At DoYouBo, the koji room uses a computerized temperature-control system to provide stable conditions for koji development.

This stage requires careful management because the quality of the koji has a major influence on the aroma and flavor that develop later during fermentation.

Step 3｜Adding Brine

Once the koji-making stage is complete, the soybean koji is transferred into food-grade FRP brewing tanks.

A carefully measured amount of brine is then added.

During this process, the mixture must be continuously stirred so that the koji and brine are evenly combined.

It may sound simple, but mixing cooked soybeans and liquid in a large brewing tank requires both physical strength and experience.

This is one of the moments where traditional craftsmanship remains an important part of the brewing process.

Step 4｜Time for Fermentation

Once the brine has been added, the brewing tanks are sealed and the long fermentation process begins.

DoYouBo soy sauce is naturally fermented for at least 120 days, with some products requiring 120 to 180 days, depending on the recipe and ingredients.

Rather than relying on a rapid production process, time allows the ingredients to gradually develop the aroma, color, and depth associated with naturally brewed soy sauce.

There is no shortcut for this stage.

Good soy sauce needs time.

Step 5｜Monitoring the Fermentation

The brewing tanks are not simply sealed and forgotten.

Throughout the fermentation period, the production team periodically opens the tanks to check and stir the fermenting mixture.

These inspections are carried out in a controlled environment designed to maintain hygienic conditions during the brewing process.

Fermentation is a living process, so experience and careful observation remain important even with the support of modern equipment.

Traditional Craftsmanship Meets Modern Technology

Soy sauce brewing has a long history, but the environment surrounding food production continues to change.

At DoYouBo, traditional brewing methods are supported by modern equipment and production management to help maintain stable fermentation conditions, quality, and production capacity.

Computer-controlled koji rooms, food-grade brewing tanks, carefully managed production environments, and experienced brewers all play different roles in the same process.

Technology does not replace craftsmanship.

Instead, it helps create a more stable environment in which traditional brewing knowledge can continue.

At Least 120 Days Before the Next Step

After at least four months of fermentation, the soy sauce is ready to move on to the next stage: pressing the fermented mash to extract raw soy sauce.

But by this point, much of the character of the soy sauce has already been shaped by the ingredients, koji, fermentation environment, and—most importantly—time.

From Taiwan-grown grains to months of careful fermentation, every bottle reflects a process that cannot be rushed.

This is how DoYouBo brings Taiwanese brewing craftsmanship from the field to the table.

At DoYouBo, food quality begins long before a product reaches the table.

From selecting ingredients and working with trusted producers to managing production, transportation, and quality control, we believe that every step matters.

For more than 50 years, DoYouBo has focused on creating foods with care and transparency. Whether it is our naturally brewed soy sauce made in Taiwan or extra virgin olive oil sourced from Spain, our goal remains the same: to help consumers understand where their food comes from and how its quality is protected.

Quality Begins with the Source

We believe good food starts with understanding its ingredients and where they come from.

For our soy sauce, DoYouBo works with Taiwan-grown, non-GMO grains through contract farming, building closer connections with local agriculture while maintaining greater transparency over the source of our ingredients.

For our extra virgin olive oil, we work with selected olive oil estates in Spain, where the olives are harvested, processed, and bottled before being shipped to Taiwan.

Different products require different approaches, but the principle remains the same: quality starts at the source.

Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce from Taiwan

Soy sauce is at the heart of DoYouBo.

Based in Zhutian, Pingtung, Taiwan, we have dedicated decades to traditional brewing while continuously improving our production and quality-management processes.

Our soy sauces are naturally fermented to develop their characteristic aroma, depth, and umami flavor over time.

By combining traditional Taiwanese brewing knowledge with modern production management, we hope to preserve the flavors of Taiwanese soy sauce while making them easier for consumers around the world to understand and enjoy.

Our product range also includes options developed for different dietary and cooking needs, such as no-added-sugar soy sauce and gluten-free rice soy sauce.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain

Our commitment to quality also extends beyond Taiwan.

DoYouBo works with selected olive oil estates in Spain to source extra virgin olive oils with clear origins and production information.

The olives are processed and the oils are bottled at origin in Spain before being imported to Taiwan in their original bottles. They are not locally repackaged or blended after arrival.

By keeping the production and bottling process at origin, we aim to maintain greater transparency throughout the supply chain and preserve the characteristics of the olive oil from the estate to the finished bottle.

Careful Transportation and Quality Control

Food quality does not stop at production.

Transportation and storage conditions are also important, particularly for products such as extra virgin olive oil that can be affected by heat and environmental conditions.

DoYouBo olive oils are transported to Taiwan in refrigerated containers to help reduce temperature fluctuations during transportation.

Each imported batch also undergoes third-party testing as part of our quality-control process. Relevant test reports are made available through the DoYouBo website so consumers can access additional product information.

Transparency and Traceability

For DoYouBo, transparency means giving consumers a clearer understanding of the food they choose.

From Taiwan-grown ingredients used in our soy sauces to olive oils bottled at origin in Spain, we value information about origin, production, transportation, and quality control.

Traceability is not simply about knowing where a product was purchased. It is about creating a clearer connection between the ingredients, the people who produce them, the way they are processed, and the finished food that reaches the table.

From Source to Table

Food safety and quality are not created by a single inspection or certification. They are built through everyday decisions throughout the production process.

At DoYouBo, we continue to combine Taiwanese brewing craftsmanship, responsible sourcing, transparent production, and quality management to create products we are proud to share beyond Taiwan.

From a bottle of naturally brewed soy sauce made in Pingtung to extra virgin olive oil bottled at origin in Spain, every product has its own journey.

And we believe consumers deserve to know that journey.

From source to table, transparency is part of our commitment to quality.

DoYouBo Soy Sauce Earns International Recognition at Great Taste Awards 2026

Taiwanese soy sauce brand DoYouBo, based in Pingtung, Taiwan, has once again received international recognition at the Great Taste Awards 2026.

This year, more than 15,000 food and drink products from 116 countries entered the Great Taste Awards. Among them, only around 2% received the highest 3-Star rating.

DoYouBo’s Kombu Gantian Soy Sauce and Kombu Jinmeiman Soy Sauce both received 3-Star recognition, accounting for two of the eight Taiwanese products awarded 3 Stars this year.

From Taiwan to the Golden Fork Nomination

Following the 3-Star recognition, DoYouBo’s kombu soy sauce was further nominated for the Golden Fork, one of the highest distinctions at the Great Taste Awards.

The Golden Fork ceremony was held in London on September 15. Although DoYouBo did not ultimately receive the Golden Fork award this year, being selected as a nominee represented another significant international recognition for Taiwanese soy sauce.

Great Taste judge Perry James Wakeman explained that products reaching the 3-Star stage have already passed multiple rounds of evaluation. Products are assessed on qualities including flavor, texture, appearance, and overall appeal.

Bringing Taiwanese Soy Sauce to the World

DoYouBo has continued to introduce the flavors of naturally brewed Taiwanese soy sauce to international audiences.

Based in Zhutian, Pingtung, DoYouBo works with locally grown, non-GMO grains and combines traditional brewing knowledge with modern production techniques.

For DoYouBo, international recognition is not only an award for flavor—it is also an opportunity to share Taiwan’s brewing culture, local agriculture, and craftsmanship with more people around the world.

From Taiwan to the international stage, DoYouBo will continue exploring how Taiwanese soy sauce can become part of dining tables around the world.

Media Coverage

DoYouBo’s Great Taste Awards 2026 recognition and Golden Fork nomination were recently covered by Taiwanese media following the awards ceremony in London.