TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Dong Cheng soy sauce (東成醬油), a well-known Tainan company that uses traditional production methods, admitted to purchasing soy sauce from other factories and selling it under its label on Tuesday (March 19).
The company responded to media accusations of outsourced production, noting insufficient production capacity led it to undertake temporary measures to secure more soy sauce supply. Dong Cheng said it was working to bring a new plant online as soon as possible.
Mirror Media was the first to report that Dong Cheng no longer exclusively produced its soy sauce. It alleged the company outsourced some productions as a means of reducing costs and increasing production capacity.
The media outlet reported Dong Cheng purchased soy sauce from manufacturers such as Wanjashan (萬家香) and Kao Ching Chuan (高慶泉). Later, the company would adjust seasoning or concentration before adding its label.
Dong Cheng Marketing Manager Cheng Wen-hsiang (鄭文翔) said food safety issues made the company pay extra attention to food handling matters. Such issues made it difficult for the company’s new factory to become fully operational, per UDN.
Cheng said the company’s high-end soy sauce products did not have enough production capacity. Therefore, high-quality manufacturers such as Wanjashan and Kao Ching Chuan had been contracted to make up for the shortage. Cheng said the arrangement is temporary and does not mean Dong Cheng will stop brewing its soy sauce.
Cheng said soy sauce purchased from other manufacturers is not directly rebranded and sold but is adjusted for flavor and concentration and follows strict review procedures before being shipped.
Furthermore, all external purchases of soy sauce are made from non-GMO ingredients and produced by qualified manufacturers. Cheng said the company is working to ensure that all soy sauce products it sells in the future are brewed and produced according to traditional methods.
According to the Dong Cheng website, the company was founded in 1958 by Cheng Dong-chi (鄭登奇), who sold soy sauce directly to breakfast shops, noodle stalls, and restaurants. The brand's distinctive taste and flavor are popular with many Taiwanese.
