No one can argue the importance of flavor. 

Chefs are in pursuit of it, and consumers seek it with every meal—whether cooked at home or enjoyed at a restaurant. 

But have you ever thought about flavor innovation? MIYOSHI OIL & FAT certainly has. 

A Japanese-based oil company with a 100+ year history, MIYOSHI partnered with the NC Food Innovation Lab when they ventured into the food side of fats and oils to ensure successful entry into the U.S. with their products. 

MIYOSHI contacted the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, who introduced the company to NCFIL, and a partnership was soon established. NCFIL now helps market MIYOSHI’s flavored fats and oils in the U.S. market. 

More Options in Flavor 

Following Vice President Akira Ohta’s initial visits to NCFIL starting in 2021, Yusuke Tomita, MIYOSHI’s development director and developer of the botanova® product line, felt confident in a collaboration. 

“We met Executive Director Bill Aimutis and were deeply impressed not only by NCFIL’s facility but also its forward-thinking mission,” says Ohta. “That visit sparked our interest in pursuing collaboration.”

The botanova® series are plant-based oils that replicate the flavor of animal fats.

NCFIL Senior Food Scientist Lisa Sand works closely with Tomita and the MIYOSHI team in this partnership. 

She notes the botanova® oils carry the flavor and aroma of beef, pork and savory meat profiles. Plus, a significantly lower percentage of this product is needed to achieve the same flavor than if actual animal fats were used in production, notes Sand. 

These products can also be added to whichever existing plant-based fat or oil a producer is already using, for additional or complementary flavor. 

Navigating the U.S. Market 

To be clear, NCFIL is not developing products for MIYOSHI rather helping adapt their offerings and, therefore, expand their presence in the U.S. food industry. 

“Rather than develop the oil products, NCFIL helps us explore how the products can be applied to local formats – like dumplings, sauces, soups and plant-based meats – to better align with American tastes,” Tomita says. 

The NCFIL team has supported MIYOSHI’s understanding of U.S. regulations, ingredient expectations and American’s existing perceptions of plant-based products in general. 

Tomita shares that Sand has been instrumental in developing sample applications aligning with U.S. tastes and culinary styles. 

“Her deep understanding of American food culture and practical input on adapting our oils for local usage have shaped our market penetration strategy,” Tomita explains. 

Sand’s role includes helping MIYOSHI identify appropriate markets, establish company connections and craft applications to highlight their product, considering, for example, how the oil performs in a mayonnaise sauce, a salad dressing or BBQ sauce. 

“MIYOSHI originally had a broad offering when we first started working together,” says Sand. “Based on our relationship, they scaled this down to what the NCFIL team saw had the best potential.”

Current Support, Future Support

In an effort to support MIYOSHI making connections, Sand attends food trade shows with their team. 

Recently, the botanova® series, along with Tomita and Sand, made appearances at Natural Products Expo West 2025 earlier this year and SupplySide West in late 2024. 

MIYOSHI was well-received at both events, with the latter connecting them with a significant number of potential customers. 

“Lisa’s presence at trade shows and engagement with prospective customers provides valuable insights into how our products are received in real-world settings,” says Tomita. 

Tomita does not foresee NCFIL’s support slowing down anytime soon as MIYOSHI’s long-term goal is to explore manufacturing or co-development partnerships with U.S.-based food companies although this pursuit is in the early stages. 

“We foresee that NCFIL’s support, from pilot-scale testing to customer introductions and market navigation, will be increasingly important as we move forward,” says Tomita. 

MIYOSHI will eventually process the fats and oils here, explains Sand. Aimutis has been instrumental in helping Tomita consider who can do that and how soon it can be done. 

As MIYOSHI continues to secure more U.S. customers, Sand’s important support role continues. 

“I will follow up with developers to ask what is working and what is not, as well as to offer NCFIL as a locale for processing,” Sand says. “It’s a huge benefit to offer clients that scale up ability.” 

Sand will also continue to monitor the oils in applications, ensuring they perform in shelf-life studies.