In a small studio in Berlin’s Moabit district, jars and barrels murmur quietly.

   This is Mimi Ferments, founded in 2017 by Japanese‑German artisan Markus Shimizu. Trained in traditional Japanese food preparation, he set out to merge old‑world fermentation with European terroir. The result is an urban workshop where soybeans and wheat transform over years into shoyu, rice inoculated with koji becomes miso, and nothing is pasteurised or stabilised—living foods are allowed to develop at their own pace. Every ingredient is certified organic and sourced locally when possible; fermentation happens in wooden barrels, some repurposed from wine or spirits; no additives or preservatives are used.

Mimi’s shoyus and misos read like a roster of experiments and homages

Einkorn Koikuchi Shoyu combines soybeans and ancient einkorn wheat, ferments for over three years in red wine‑coated barrels and emerges with deep umami and robust nuttiness. Its counterpart, Kibi Shiro Shoyu, ages in rum barrels and delivers a light, slightly sweet profile ideal for vegetables and delicate marinades. Koji‑based seasonings include Lemon Shio Koji, a bright, tangy rice paste fermented with Aspergillus oryzae and lemon, and Shio Koji, a mild, naturally sweet base for marinades and sauces. The miso range spans the sweet Shiro Miso fermented in ash wood barrels, Ama Miso with extra koji rice for subtle dried‑fruit notes, Ama Mugi Miso made with barley and aged for twelve months, vibrant Beetroot Miso with earthy sweetness, Bread Miso crafted from unsold sourdough bread and boasting a malty caramel aroma, and gluten‑free Genmai Miso made from sprouted whole grain rice for rich, hearty savouriness. Other ferments include a smoky fish garum aged in whisky barrels, a Demeter‑certified gochujang and a citrus‑laced yuzu amazake rice drink.