Sake breweries facing a slow death fight back with cocktails, food pairings and more premium spirit exports
- Competition, labour shortages and changing consumer tastes have hit Japan’s traditional sake breweries hard. Some have sought new ways to keep going
- From exporting more premium sake to taking the idea of ‘terroir’ from winemakers to offering ready-to-drink cocktails and food pairings, they are innovating
Sake, once the dominant alcoholic drink in Japan, is fighting to keep up with the times.
In 2019, shipments in Japan were less than 30 per cent of their mid-1970s peak. Faced with competition and labour shortages, sake breweries are seeking out new, creative ways to thrive.
Although Daimon – one of the first brewery owners to take on the dual role of company president and toji (master brewer) – was seen as a maverick in the sake world, the brewery, established in 1826, was struggling.
A chance meeting brought him together with Marcus Consolini, a native of New York with a background in finance and a deep interest in Japanese culture.
After learning that Daimon was considering selling the company, Consolini “realised there was an opportunity” to reinvent the brewery and expand beyond the Osaka region.