Factory Tours
NYrture New York Natto
When Ann Yonetani talks about natto, she doesn’t just speak as an entrepreneur—she speaks as a microbiologist, a researcher, and someone whose life has always been shaped by food. Growing up, she ate natto, a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soy beans, on trips to Japan to see her grandparents, long before she knew she would one day build a business around it. But once she became a scientist, her curiosity deepened: “Natto is something that attracted my interest because it’s a very unusual fermentation—completely different from any of the ferments that are commonly available in the West.”
What she discovered surprised even her. “Natto is actually kind of a miraculous superfood,” she explains. Studies in Japan show that regular natto consumption correlates with improved cardiovascular health, gut function, and even bone density protection. For Ann, natto wasn’t a trend or fad; it was established science with real potential to improve people’s lives. “People want to be healthier, and once they hear all the science behind it, they realize this is legit.”
That sense of purpose—not profit—fueled the start of NYrture New York Natto in 2014. Ann has never seen herself as a typical entrepreneur. “I’m not in this to make money,” she says. “My mission is to help people’s health.” For eleven years, through rising costs, inflation, and even a pandemic, she never raised her prices. Only last year, hit by tariffs that doubled the cost of essential materials like glass jars, was she forced to adjust. “There was no way for us to survive,” she admits. The irony isn’t lost on her: tariffs meant to “support American makers” have instead hurt small producers who rely on basic goods no longer manufactured in the U.S. “The tariffs are only increasing our costs and hurting our ability to survive.”
Still, NY Natto thrives—not from advertising (they have never spent “one dollar” on ads), but from a community of loyal customers who drive nearly all of their growth. “We have something like a 40% return rate for direct customers,” Ann says. “Some of them I’ve known for ten years—on a first-name basis.” Their word-of-mouth efforts have been so effective that NY Natto ships nationwide, offering one of the only glass-jar natto products in the world, produced with meticulous care. The company works directly with farmers—"female farmers we know personally"—and every batch follows an intensive process: sorting, washing, soaking, pressure-steaming, inoculating with Bacillus subtilis, fermenting at over 100°F, and aging before packaging.
Today, Ann runs the company with a close-knit team of seven employees. “People are happy here,” she says with quiet pride. “They know they’re part of something doing good for the world.” Manufacturing in New York City is undeniably difficult—"my farmers in the Midwest can’t believe what I pay in rent"—but Ann stays for reasons that are both practical and personal. New York is home, and it’s also one of the few places where an adventurous, diverse community is willing to try a niche food that many people have never even heard of. The city’s transportation infrastructure also makes sourcing and shipping more reliable, a critical advantage for a fresh fermented product.
What Ann hopes for now is more visibility for small makers. She imagines city-supported features in subways or ferries—light-touch promotion that could make all the difference for businesses like hers. “Producing goods—whatever they are—that’s the heart of any culture or economy,” she says. “Maybe people are forgetting that nowadays.”
There’s also a deeper layer to Ann’s work: a personal lineage that connects her to natto’s origins. “Apparently, I’m a direct descendant of the samurai warrior from 1,000 years ago who’s credited with the discovery of natto,” she shares with a smile. It’s a story that bridges science, family, and cultural memory—much like her product itself. Though natto is a traditional Japanese food, Ann has found ways to help American customers welcome it into their routines: “It’s beans—so you can put it on toast, or oatmeal, or grits.”
The future of NY Natto is steady, purpose-driven growth—expanding production, educating new audiences, and keeping the mission intact. In a market full of shortcuts and noise, Ann’s path remains refreshingly clear: care for people, honor the science, and make something truly good. As she says, “People need access to this food.”
Find access to natto on NY Natto’s website today.