Korean and Japanese flavors have been on your menu for generations. Teriyaki beef, kalbi, and meat jun are plate lunch staples, and your customers grew up with them. Now the rest of the country is catching on. Gochujang is projected to grow 47% on U.S. menus by 2028, and Korean fried chicken has become one of the most popular ways diners are discovering Korean food.
That puts you in a great spot. You already know these flavors work with your guests. The opportunity is getting more out of every case you bring in. With a few versatile Asian sauces, you can cover marinades, stir-fry glazes, holiday dipping sauces, and dressings across your whole menu, without crowding your shelves.
Why Sauces Are Your Best Cross-Utilization Play
Cross-utilization means one product pulls double or triple duty on your menu, and sauces are one of the easiest places to start. One case covers several dishes, your prep stays simple, and your line keeps moving.
Sauces also bring your guests in the door. 60% of consumers say they look forward to a restaurant’s unique sauce, condiment, or dressing when deciding where to eat. You don’t need a wall of bottles to give your guests variety. You need a few sauces that can flex.
Marinade Bases
Nippon Shokken Teriyaki Sauce is made for this. Use it to marinate your chicken, beef, salmon, and vegetables, then let it caramelize into a glossy finish on the grill. Run it on your teriyaki plate, then carry it over to a teriyaki burger or a grilled fish special.
Nippon Shokken Japanese Salad Dressing gives you the same flexibility with a lighter touch. The citrus soy base with a hint of wasabi makes a quick marinade for your fish and chicken, and the acidity helps keep your proteins tender and juicy.
One quick kitchen note: portion out what you need for marinating raw proteins and keep it separate from the sauce you serve, so every application stays clean and ready for the plate.
Nippon Shokken
Japanese Salad Dressing
#175101 | 6 x 60 oz.
Nippon Shokken
Korean Soy Garlic Glaze
#456719 | 6 x 4.7 lb.
Nippon Shokken
Teriyaki Sauce
#460717 | 6 x 5.4 lb.
Stir-Fry and Protein Glazes
Nippon Shokken Korean Soy Garlic Glaze is your go-to for glossy, garlicky finishes. Brush it on grilled pork or short ribs, toss it with garlic shrimp, or use it as a ready-made stir-fry sauce for chicken, beef, or tofu. You can even serve it as a dipping sauce straight from the jug.
Your Teriyaki Sauce doubles as a finishing glaze too. Try it on burgers, Spam musubi, or teriyaki fried rice. When you want heat, Schwan’s Gochujang Sauce brings a mild, sweet, and savory kick to your spicy pork, chicken stir-fries, and rice bowls. Sweet and spicy flavors now show up on about 10% of U.S. restaurant menus, and gochujang is one of the easiest ways for you to get in on it.
Holiday Dipping Sauces and Pūpū Platters
Holiday party season is right around the corner, and your catering orders will likely start picking up the week before Thanksgiving and keep building through December. Office parties, family gatherings, and pau hana get-togethers all need pūpūs, and dips are the most commonly ordered appetizer at casual dining restaurants.
This is where Nippon Shokken Korean Fried Chicken Mix shines. It fries up crispy and airy, and it’s built to pair with sauces. Fry one batch of wings or boneless bites, then set out a dipping trio of Soy Garlic Glaze, Gochujang Sauce, and Teriyaki Sauce. One base item gives your guests three ways to enjoy it, and gives you a platter that’s simple to build in volume.
For your to-go and catering orders, Schwan’s Gochujang Sauce also comes in 7 g packets, so every order goes out with sauce ready to go.
Salad Dressings and Finishing Sauces
Japanese Salad Dressing goes well beyond the salad bowl. Its bright citrus soy flavor with a hint of wasabi makes it an easy match for seafood, greens, and noodles. Use it on your greens, then put it to work as a poke sauce, a finishing drizzle on seared ahi, or a carpaccio sauce for raw seafood. It also makes a quick, refreshing dressing for somen salad, a holiday potluck favorite your guests will recognize right away. For a spicy twist, blend a little Gochujang Sauce into the dressing or into mayo for a drizzle you can use on bowls, sandwiches, and fried chicken.
Nippon Shokken
Korean Fried Chicken Mix
#460626 | 6 x 3 lb.
Menu Inspo: Gochujang Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich
Crispy Korean fried chicken tossed in sweet and savory gochujang, stacked on a bun with fresh, cool toppings. It’s a fusion item that puts your sauces and batter mix to work together.
Ingredients
- Nippon Shokken Korean Fried Chicken Mix
- Boneless chicken thighs
- Schwan’s Gochujang Sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Burger buns
- Mayo
- Lettuce, tomato, and cucumber
Steps
- Coat the chicken in Korean Fried Chicken Mix and fry until golden and crispy.
- Toss the hot chicken in Gochujang Sauce.
- Spread mayo on the bun and layer with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber.
- Top with the chicken and finish with sesame seeds.
Why It Works
It pairs one of the fastest-growing flavors on U.S. menus with a format your guests already love. For a milder option, toss the same chicken in Soy Garlic Glaze instead. Cut the chicken bite-size and serve it with extra sauce on the side, and you have a holiday pūpū platter off the same batch.
Get More from Every Case
Whether you’re building out your plate lunch lineup, prepping for holiday catering, or testing a new fusion special, these Asian sauces give you room to get creative while keeping your kitchen simple. Order Nippon Shokken and Schwan’s sauces today on Shop Y. Hata, or contact your Y. Hata Account Manager for more details.
Request a sample from your AM today!
