Quality, authenticity give Miso Master timeless appeal

A casual visitor to Rutherfordton, North Carolina, might never guess it’s where one of the oldest and most revered Asian foods is produced. But as it turns out, this small town at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is located in a “thermal belt” with the perfect climatic conditions to produce miso—a fermented soybean paste made with salt, grains (usually rice or barley) and koji, a type of fungus.

That’s precisely why Great Eastern Sun, the parent company of Miso Master, is located here.

“The company’s original mission centered around offering American-made organic miso using ancient Japanese traditional methods and the highest quality ingredients,” says Leila Bakkum, national sales director for Great Eastern Sun. “This traditional approach results in superior, unpasteurized miso with a delicate, balanced flavor that commercial production methods cannot replicate.”

The story behind Miso Master

Miso Master’s origins trace back to 1978, when a group of macrobiotic diet and lifestyle enthusiasts in the U.S. envisioned creating miso using traditional methods with the finest organic ingredients. Their quest for expertise led them to Japan and a seasoned Japanese miso maker named Takamichi Onozaki. He trained American couple John and Jan Belleme, who returned to the U.S. and established a miso production facility near Rutherfordton in late 1980.

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Since its inception, Miso Master has adhered to traditional slow fermentation processes. While many competitors use shortcuts such as adding yeast or applying high heat to expedite production, Miso Master’s main objective is quality and authenticity. The brand’s refined natural fermentation techniques, handcrafted koji (the mold culture used in miso production) and extended natural fermentation periods ensure superior taste, nutritional value and probiotic benefits.

Miso Master’s short-term Mellow White Miso is naturally aged in “rollarounds”—square bins that can be wheeled from one room to another—for 30 days. Its long-term Traditional Red Miso is aged for up to a year in handcrafted, recycled wood vats that hold 7,000 pounds of product.

“Traditionally, miso would be made in the wintertime because bacteria is less prevalent in the winter,” says Cody Smith, the company’s current miso master. “Temperatures start to pick up in the spring, then during summer, our warehouse gets to 95 to 98 degrees—that’s when peak fermentation happens.” 

Fermenting the miso through all four seasons allows its natural flavors to develop. Bakkum says Miso Master produces twice as much Mellow White as Traditional Red, which has a more robust umami flavor profile, because the American palate is geared toward milder, sweeter flavors. Altogether, the company produces more than 1.5 million pounds of miso annually.

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Fermented foods like miso are prized for their rich taste and complex flavors. But beyond taste, fermented foods boast an abundance of beneficial bacteria and probiotics that support gut health by balancing the microbiome, aiding digestion and enhancing nutrient absorption. Consumers’ renewed or newfound interest in fermentation has significantly increased Miso Master’s popularity.

“Over the past few years, we’ve experienced a notable increase in miso sales,” says Bakkum.

“Miso Master's koji is meticulously handcrafted by skilled employees, without reliance on complex commercial machines or automated systems,” says Smith. “This hands-on method ensures consistency and quality in every batch of miso.”

Ensuring quality and sustainability

Miso Master’s success is rooted in its core values: commitment to quality, health and environmental consciousness, and innovative environmental initiatives. It was one of the first two non-farming companies to achieve USDA Organic certification and holds several other certifications such as Non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Gluten-Free and Atlanta Kashruth Commission (AKC) Kosher.

The company also embraces newer certifications like Plastic Neutral, which denotes that organizations are offsetting their plastic footprint by funding the removal of an equivalent amount of plastic waste from the environment.

“By supporting these initiatives, organizations create opportunities for waste workers to earn a sustainable income through the collection and processing of plastic waste,” Bakkum says. “This not only improves their livelihoods, it reduces harm to wildlife and environmental degradation and enhances the infrastructure and capabilities of local waste management systems, leading to cleaner and healthier communities.”  

One of the biggest difficulties Miso Master has faced over the years is competition from lower-grade miso products flooding the market.

“Despite this challenge, we have maintained our position by focusing on its differentiating factors: quality, superior flavor and nutritional value, and sustainable practices,” says Bakkum.

Miso Master continues to innovate, maintaining high production and quality standards and improving the recyclability of its packaging. Parent company Great Eastern Sun is also working on new miso-based products and grain-based healthy beverages and expanding its market presence in Europe and Asia.

To connect with Great Eastern Sun at Newtopia Now, visit Booth 175 in the Represent neighborhood. For more information and to register, visit Newtopia Now’s website. This unique trade show runs Aug. 25-28 in Denver, Colorado.