Clearspring is a British, family-owned food company established in 1993. The brand is primarily recognized for its focus on authentic Japanese cuisine, organic agriculture, and plant-based nutrition. Its product portfolio has expanded from an initial emphasis on miso soup to encompass over 300 organic items, including pantry staples, teas, sauces, noodles, snacks, oils, vinegars, and various plant-based foods. 1

The company positions itself at the intersection of traditional Japanese food craftsmanship and modern sustainable eating habits, emphasizing minimally processed ingredients and environmentally responsible sourcing.

Origins

The foundations of Clearspring predate its official incorporation. Founder Christopher Dawson developed an interest in organic farming during his studies in New Zealand in the early 1970s. Concerned by the environmental impacts of industrial agriculture, deforestation, and monoculture, he subsequently worked on organic farms and explored sustainable food systems.

Dawson’s engagement with Japanese culture began when he discovered miso soup while exploring vegetarian diets. This led him to travel to Japan, where he spent approximately 18 years immersing himself in Japanese food traditions. During this period, he cultivated long-term relationships with traditional producers and advocated for organic production methods within the local industry.

Foundation

Clearspring was formally established in 1993 with the mission of introducing authentic Japanese foods—specifically those produced through traditional methods suitable for organic and plant-based diets—to markets outside Japan.

Starting modestly with products like miso, the company gradually broadened its range. By its 30th anniversary in 2023, Clearspring described itself as a family business serving an international customer base with more than 300 organic products.

Clearspring’s corporate identity is built upon three core pillars:

Organic Agriculture

Organic farming is central to the brand’s operations. Clearspring states that its products support organic farmers and artisan producers, contributing to broader environmental goals such as soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable long-term food production.

Plant-Based Eating

The company promotes plant-based diets not merely as meat substitutes but as a return to traditional foods that have historically formed the basis of plant-centric cuisines. Key categories include tofu, miso, sea vegetables, grains, noodles, beans, Japanese seasonings, vegetables, teas, nuts, and seeds. Clearspring aims to demonstrate that plant-based food can be both nutritious and enjoyable.

Traditional Production Techniques

A distinguishing feature of Clearspring is its commitment to authentic recipes and traditional manufacturing methods. Rather than creating Westernized adaptations, the company works with specialist producers to maintain techniques essential for products such as miso, tamari, shoyu, tofu, noodles, umeboshi, mirin, and Japanese teas.

Clearspring’s current catalogue includes 236 individual products listed online, with the company citing a wider range of over 300 organic items across all channels. The major categories are:

Japanese Foods

This category remains the core of the brand’s offering. It includes:

• Tofu
• Miso and instant miso soups
• Soy sauce and tamari
• Japanese seasonings
• Sea vegetables
• Soba, udon, and other noodles
• Sushi ingredients
• Japanese sauces and condiments
• Rice crackers
• Amazake
• Umeboshi
• Mirin
• Umami products

Highlighted items include Organic Japanese Silken Tofu, Yaemon Tamari, Japanese Matcha, Brown Rice Miso, Shoyu, and Japanese rice crackers.

Tea and Matcha

Clearspring offers a substantial range of Japanese teas, featuring premium and ceremonial-grade matcha, sencha, hojicha, green tea, tea sachets, loose-leaf varieties, and matcha accessories.

Pantry Foods

Beyond Japanese specialties, the brand provides organic everyday ingredients such as rice, grains, pasta, noodles, beans, lentils, coconut products, oils, vinegars, plant-based alternatives, and general seasonings.

Snacks

The snack range includes organic options like rice cakes, Japanese rice crackers, oatcakes, biscuits, nuts, seeds, fruit purées, and sea-vegetable snacks.

Sustainability is integrated into Clearspring’s operational strategy, organized around three concepts: Provide (food for future generations), Protect (ecosystems and the planet), and Promote (traditional and sustainable foods). The company further divides its approach into product integrity, people care, and planet care.

Clearspring emphasizes ingredient integrity, stating that its products avoid artificial additives and refined sugars. The brand highlights attributes such as being organic, family-run, plant-based, and free from refined sugar.

Sea vegetables serve as a key example of their sustainability philosophy. Having sold nori, wakame, and arame since its inception, Clearspring has expanded into Atlantic varieties like dulse, sea salad, sea spaghetti, and agar flakes. The company views these crops as sustainable because their cultivation requires less land, freshwater, and fertilizer compared to terrestrial agriculture.

Although headquartered in London, Clearspring operates as an international specialty-food company. Its products are distributed globally, and the company maintains established relationships in Japan’s international food market. The brand combines a British/European organic-business model with deep expertise in Japanese food culture, offering familiar Western pantry items alongside specialized Japanese ingredients.

Christopher Dawson serves as the founder and CEO associated with Clearspring. His personal journey—from questioning industrial agriculture in New Zealand in 1972 to living in Japan for nearly two decades—directly informs the company’s identity. The business remains family-run, with Dawson’s family actively involved in its development.

Clearspring is a London-based family food company founded in 1993 that specializes in authentic Japanese, organic, and plant-based foods. It combines traditional food craftsmanship with organic agriculture and a strong sustainability philosophy, positioning itself as a provider of high-quality natural foods for global consumers.

1. Our Story – Clearspring
2. All Products | Clearspring
3. Clearspring official website