Are you a natto fan? If so, prepare for a price shock. Two manufacturers of Japan’s beloved but stinky fermented soybean product say they’re hiking prices. The news has consumers online howling – and demanding that Japan’s government do something about spiraling food prices.
Japan’s “putrid dumpster” gets a price hike
For those of you who’ve never encountered it, natto is soybeans that have been fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto until they developed sticky, cheese-like strands.
Surveys show that roughly 80% of Japanese people report liking the taste of natto. Like many fermented foods, natto is also good for your health. High in vitamin K2 and probiotics, it promotes gut and heart health.
For those not born and raised in the country, though, it’s been described as an “acquired taste.” Besides a slimy texture, the foodstuff has a pungent aroma that some can find off-putting. English language Redditors have described the taste as like a “slightly nutty cheese” and the smell as akin to “a putrid dumpster.”
Despite its aggressive smell, natto remains a booming business. The market hit 269.5 billion yen (~$1.72 billion USD) in 2023 and has grown since 2012. Natto is eaten primarily in eastern Japan, with the city of Morioka leading per-house spending at 6,810 yen (~$43.49) a year.
Now, however, the acquired taste is about to get pricier. Takanofood, which makes the popular Okame Natto, announced it’s hiking prices by 15% in June due to rising energy and materials costs. At the same time, Mizkan says it’ll increase prices between 6 and 20% on all natto products.
The immediate cause of the price spike is the War in Iran. The crisis has disrupted Japan’s supply of naphtha, a petroleum derivative used in making disposable food trays and packaging films. Since March, generic synthetic resin prices have gone up by 30%.
The impact of the packaging issue can clearly be seen in Mizkan’s announcement. The company suspended sale of four natto products altogether, saying it couldn’t secure the required packaging.
Is the era of cheap food in Japan over?
This isn’t the first consumer price hike in Japan. Prices on rice, eggs, vegetables, and everyday goods have risen steadily over the past two years. Some manufacturers are also stealthily raising prices through shrinkflation – i.e., reducing the volume of each package while keeping the price stable. The price hikes come as Japanese wages have remained flat for almost three decades.
According to Teikoku Databank, the prices of 6,290 food and beverage items have gone up this year, with an average price spike of 15%. If the naphtha shortage continues, 72.5% of companies say they’ll have to consider further hikes.
On social media service X, some people lamented that this is another sign the era of cheap food in Japan is over. The country has long been famous for keeping food prices at affordable levels. Even eating out can be relatively cheap, with most bowls of ramen still retailing for under 1,000 yen ($6.37).
Those days might be over, though. “It’s not just soybeans,” one user noted, citing the impact that everything from packaging to logistics has on food costs. “When invisible costs rise, sub-100-yen daily items have nowhere to hide.”
Other users blamed the government for doing nothing to help struggling consumers. Current Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae campaigned on a promise of lowering the country’s consumption tax to zero for food items. That promise, however, remains unfulfilled. Despite saying during the campaign that cutting the tax was her “dearest wish,” discussion has stalled out in Japan’s National Diet.
“Why do people complain about price hikes and then vote LDP?” one user groaned. “Are they stupid?”
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