On 6 June, JLGC invited colleagues and guests to discuss currents sales and trends as well as issues around the marketing of Japanese sake with speakers from JETRO, Sake Samurai and Tazaki Foods Limited. JETRO (the Japan External Trade Organization), is a government-related organisation that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. The Sake Samurai Association was established in 2004 as a junior council for the Japan Sake Brewers Association to protect sake and Japanese traditions at home and to promote them internationally. It has contributed to the increased popularity of sake and Japanese food overseas in recent years. Tazaki Foods is a London-based company founded in 1978 for the specific purpose of importing and distributing Japanese food and drink products in the UK.
Japanese sake, with a history of around 2,000 years, has seen an increase in exports over the past decade, despite a temporary decline due to COVID-19, to 36,000 kL (47.49 billion yen, around £260 million) in 2022. The number of breweries has fallen from around 2,000 in 2000 to around 1,500, but sake is Japan’s second-largest alcohol export after whisky. The UK is the largest market in Europe, which up until the covid crisis saw increasing sales year on year.
Japan wants to create more demand by promoting sake not only to restaurants but also directly to consumers. While some Sake can be expensive and there is the perception that it requires a special way to be enjoyed, there are also products that have been adapted for the international market to make it more accessible in terms of taste and price. Recent marketing of the product focuses on consuming sake like wine in wine glasses, although there are some unique drinking vessels used for sake for uniquely Japanese experiences. It can also be enjoyed with a wide variety of non-Japanese dishes, anything with fish, cheese and other ingredients.
The event saw local government staff from Japan hear from experts on how to market the product in the UK and Europe, as well as on current trends and opportunities for producers from local areas. JLGC has a growing role in supporting municipalities with events like these, and the office continues to help local authorities promote their local sake to consumers in the UK and Europe. Each sake has its own character, meaning drinkers now can try an increasing variety and enjoy different brands of Japan’s historical drink.
