Sweet & Savoury Sauce with Fermented Umami

The story of sarsa traces back to the Spanish era, when liver-based sauces were introduced to the Philippines. Over time, it evolved into a uniquely Filipino staple—sweet, savoury, and perfectly suited for roast meats, fried favourites, or a comforting plate of rice. As it adapted to suit local needs—economic constraints, warm climate, and everyday convenience—sarsa became more affordable, shelf-stable, and widely loved. It transformed into an all-around sauce that’s now woven into our identity as Filipinos.

One well-known version was eventually acquired by a global company and exported across the world—until it was banned in the U.S. due to its ingredients. That moment made me reflect: if we want to carry sarsa into the future, it needs to be reimagined—cleaner, healthier, but still full of the sarap we grew up with.

That’s why I created Sarsarap. A sweet and savoury finishing sauce made with fermented mushrooms for deep umami, without liver, MSG, or artificial flavourings. It’s rooted in tradition, but made for today’s conscious kitchen.

I want New Zealand Filipinos to have a better option—something they can be proud of. Let UmamiBee be the first Filipino artisan to share this delicious sauce, and its rich story, across Aotearoa. This is for us. This is our sarsa, evolved.