Yamato Foods (headquartered in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture) has added a new product to its lineup with the release of the Setouchi Lemon Farm Dressing on February 24, 2026. The new dressing highlights the bittersweet quality of Setouchi lemon peel — a characteristic rarely used as a primary flavor — and marks a fresh direction for the company's existing range of lemon-based dressings.
A New Bittersweet Flavor Experience
The dressing draws its signature note from the bitterness of Setouchi-grown lemon peel, which brings out the natural sweetness and aroma of vegetables. The finish is clean and refreshing, encouraging another bite with each taste. Bitterness — the same quality appreciated in coffee and beer — adds depth and complexity to dishes, and the dressing aims to elevate everyday salads with that kind of layered, lingering flavor.
Background: A Milestone Year for a New Proposition
2026 marks Yamato Foods' 20th anniversary as a company, and the tenth year of its flagship brand, Setouchi Lemon Farm (瀬戸内レモン農園®). To commemorate these milestones, the team revisited their long-cultivated expertise in lemon processing and their dedication to utilizing lemon peel, resulting in a new condiment that places the peel front and center.
Setouchi Lemon: Peel and All
Setouchi lemons are grown without preservatives or wax coatings, making their peel safe to eat. The warm, low-rainfall, and sun-rich climate of the Setouchi region is ideal for lemon cultivation, yielding fruit with aromatic, flavorful peels. Recognizing the underutilized potential of lemon peel — a part that most people typically discard — this dressing makes full use of the distinctive fragrance and bittersweet taste that Setouchi lemons offer.
Two Types of Lemon Peel, One Balanced Blend
To achieve the right balance of aroma and bitterness, two different preparations of lemon peel are combined. One has the white pith carefully removed, while the other retains it. Blending both results in a dressing with both a pronounced fragrance and a satisfying depth of flavor.
A Supporting Role for Soy Sauce
The dressing uses a specially crafted soy sauce from a long-established soy sauce maker founded in 1963. Made without additional seasonings or extracts, this soy sauce lets the natural character of its ingredients shine — gently enhancing the lemon's aroma and bitterness while bringing cohesion to the overall flavor. Domestically grown onions round out the profile with a gentle sweetness and richness.
From Lemosco to This: A Continuing Commitment to Peel
The importance of lemon peel in Yamato Foods' products traces back to the development of their popular Lemosco hot sauce. Early in that product's development, the formula lacked aroma without peel, but adding it transformed the flavor entirely. That experience established lemon peel as an essential ingredient in the company's lemon-based products. With the 20th anniversary as an occasion, the peel now takes center stage as the defining feature of a new condiment.
Bitterness as a Growing Flavor Trend
Tastes are shifting, and bitterness is increasingly welcomed in the kitchen. Just as craft beer and high-cacao chocolate have found devoted followings, more consumers are seeking flavors with depth over straightforward sweetness. Bitterness is considered the most complex of the five tastes — it enhances aroma and umami, extends the aftertaste, and brings out the natural sweetness of other ingredients. The Setouchi Lemon Farm Dressing taps into this trend, offering a way to make everyday dishes more nuanced and satisfying.
Versatile Uses Beyond the Salad Bowl
The dressing works well with a wide range of foods — not just salads, but also meat, fish, rice, and soup. Recipe suggestions include:
Gochiso Salad
Hijiki Salad with 5 Ingredients
Lemon Chicken and Mushroom Rice
Lemon-Scented Pork Shabu-shabu
Beef and Paprika Colorful Stir-fry
Salmon Carpaccio
Lemon Ginger Soup
Lemon Chicken Marinade
More recipe ideas are available at the Setouchi Lemon Farm recipe page: https://setouchi-lemon.jp/recipe
Product Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Setouchi Lemon Farm Dressing |
| Volume | 180ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | ¥594 (tax included) |
| Best Before | 270 days from manufacturing date |
| Release Date | February 24, 2026 |
| Available At | Mass retailers, supermarkets, souvenir shops nationwide, and official online stores |
Official Online Stores:
- Setouchi Lemon Farm Official Online Shop: https://onlineshop.setouchi-lemon.jp
- Rakuten Official Store: https://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/setouchilemon-nouen
- Amazon Official Store: https://www.amazon.co.jp/setouchilemon-nouen
Official SNS:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamatofoods
- X: https://x.com/_lemosco
