JOHOR BARU, March 26 -- Sauerkraut isn't for everyone.

When I was studying in Munich years ago, this fermented food was a popular dish. A staple side, often served with sausages, potatoes and even added to stews.

But sauerkraut - made by fermenting shredded raw cabbage with lactic acid bacteria - is not something that the average Malaysian consumer is familiar with. Perhaps it's too sour. Perhaps the flavour of caraway seeds, often added to sauerkraut in Germany and Austria, is too pungent and anise-like.

So consider me pleasantly surprised when I found out Brew By Root, a fermented food company based in Johor Baru is making artisanal sauerkraut.

Its founder, Tan Junhao, studied food science at the University of Queensland, so the int...