Kikkoman product placement in Iron Chef

Kikkoman has been a sponsor of Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs” since the show began four years ago. However, the soy sauce maker only made its first product placement promotion recently.

In the latest episode of the series, Kikkoman’s Panko Bread Crumbs and Ponzu Sauces were unveiled as the “Secret Ingredient Challenge” of the competition. The competing chefs were to integrate these products into their dessert dishes.

“This was a unique opportunity for us to alert ‘foodies’ and everyday cooks to recognize the many unexpected, different ways Kikkoman products can be used, and to encourage them to try the products at home in these new ways,” explained Michael Evans, SVP for sales and marketing for Kikkoman.

During the commercial break, viewers were invited to the Food Network site to get coupons for the featured Kikkoman products. This was the first coupon-distributing effort to be featured on the show.