Japan, our source of culinary inspiration

At the origin of Lima there were two men who met and inspired each other: Pierre Gevaert, Lima’s Belgian founder, and Georges Ohsawa; the Japanese founder of Macrobiotics. Georges believed in the philosophy of Yin and Yang which is based on one main principle: the harmony between opposing yet complementary elements. He wanted to apply this principle to everything and especially to nutrition.

Inspired by Georges’ ideas, Pierre decided in 1957 to create a brand of natural, plant-based products. And Lima was born, named after Georges’ wife. Soon after, the first Lima products were launched. Delicious, healthy, and inspired by Japan, our Yannoh, our Tamari, our Tahin or our grain cakes quickly became iconic.

Japanese seasonings and Lima go together. Condiments enrich dishes, create new taste experiences and expose you to other cultures. Today, Lima offers an expanded organic and quality assortment, much of it is still Japanese-inspired.

Century-old tradition and craftsmanship

For its Japanese product range, Lima works primarily with craftsman suppliers. They have years of expertise with traditional production methods such as fermentation. Fermented food has a high nutritional value and a rich taste.

The entire assortment of Lima products imported from Japan is subjected to various quality controls (pesticides, radioactivity, taste...). In this way, we guarantee the infallible quality of our products.

Umami, a unique taste experience

The primary tastes sweet, salty, bitter and sour are well known. But do you know the fifth taste, Umami?

Umami flavor is a very essential, natural flavor that also enhances all the naturally present flavors of a dish. This flavor was defined in 1908 by the Japanese Kikunae Ikeda. Although Europeans are generally not aware of this taste sensation, it is present everywhere in our food. Fermentation of food products adds umami flavor, think of soy sauces or miso. Some products have a natural umami flavor such as shiitakes or seaweed. It is therefore no coincidence that these products are used to take dishes to the next level.