November 21, 2024 — In October 2024, The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) aimed to further expand the recognition and popularization of sake in the South American market by participating in “ProWine São Paulo 2024” and hosting the “São Paulo Sake Fair” in São Paulo, Brazil.
ProWine São Paulo 2024 is the largest professional wine and spirits trade show in the Americas (North, Central, and South America). This sixth edition, held from October 1 to 3, welcomed an impressive 15,000 visitors to the halls of Expo Center Norte, exceeding expectations. The event featured 1,402 brands from 34 countries. JSS set up a “Japan booth” at Green Pavilion T.14, representing eight breweries: Amabuki Shuzo, Kunimare Sake Brewery, Kodama Brewing, Konishi Brewing, Daimon Brewery, Tenzan Sake Brewery, Yagi-Shuzobu, and Yamatogawa Sake Brewery. President Nobuki Yagi of Yagi-Shuzobu remarked, “We conducted numerous business meetings and felt the high interest in sake in South America. We met importers with deep knowledge and passion for sake who showed strong interest in our products, leading me to believe we can establish concrete business connections soon.” Satoshi Kodama of Kodama Brewing reflected, “During ProWine São Paulo, we frequently explained the differences in polishing ratios to clarify the distinctions between Ginjo and Daiginjo categories and answered many questions about why these categories are premium and why rice is polished for production.”
Nanoha Higuchi, Manager of the Overseas Operations Department at the JSS, emphasized the results of their participation by stating, “Among the visitors to ProWine São Paulo, there were a significant number of wine importers and representatives from non-Japanese restaurants who stopped by our booth because they were interested in starting to handle sake, as well as sommeliers who came to taste for educational purposes. Additionally, Brazil has as many as 2,850 Japanese restaurants, making it the 10th largest among the countries surveyed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Coupled with the positive image of Japan, this highlighted the potential of the Brazilian market for sake.”
Manager Higuchi added that while interest in sake is increasing locally, they recognized that the misperception of sake as a type of spirit is still widespread. This misunderstanding is not limited to Brazil or to South America but continues to exist globally. The JSS is conducting sake masterclasses at international exhibitions and various events to correct such misconceptions and to convey the true nature and appeal of sake. At ProWine São Paulo, Fabio Ota, a sake importer and educator in Brazil, led a session titled “Fundamento do Saque para profissionais do vinho” (Basic Knowledge of Sake for Wine Professionals). In addition to basic information such as raw ingredients and polishing ratio, he explained the aromatic components of sake and the potential for food pairing based on its unique umami and acidity characteristics, as compared to wine. At the public tasting event Sake Fair, six instructors presented different themes to provide accurate knowledge and information about sake.
Brazil is a country with the largest Japanese immigrant community in the world. Japanese cuisine was introduced to Brazil by these immigrants and, over a long history, has evolved to become widely accepted not only within the Japanese-Brazilian community but throughout Brazilian society as a whole.
According to a 2022 JETRO survey, about 4.8 million people work in Brazil’s food service industry, with approximately 150,000 employed in Japanese restaurants. Remarkably, although the share of establishments offering Japanese cuisine is only about 2% of the entire Brazilian food industry, approximately 10% of seafood consumed in Brazil is served there. The compatibility of sake with seafood is well-known, supporting the expectation for continued growth in sake consumption in Brazil. Moreover, the state of São Paulo accounts for 38% of the Japanese restaurants in Brazil, with most concentrated in the greater São Paulo metropolitan area. The region’s abundant restaurants and the expanding e-commerce market are expected to drive increased consumption of imported sake.
Currently, sake distributed in Brazil includes locally produced, U.S.-produced, and Japanese-produced sake, with most locally or U.S.-produced sake available in general supermarkets.
Mr. Hideyuki Ozaki, the Director President of Kikkoman do Brasil, which currently produces sake in Brazil under the ‘AZUMA’ brand (originally branded as ‘Azuma Kirin’ in 1934), commented, “Due to Brazil’s warm climate and local taste preferences, light, slightly sweet sake is popular. Additionally, cocktails like Sakepirinha, made with sake and Brazil’s abundant fruits, are trendy among women and younger consumers and are often made using locally produced sake, reflecting the growing interest in sake.” Patricia Tello Durks from Sake Tomoe, another Brazilian sake producer, expressed optimism about the future of sake, saying, “I believe that the sake market is still growing and will continue to expand as the sake culture spreads! Not only because we can produce and sell local sake, but also because import taxes could be lower. My goal is to further spread this culture that has fascinated me for almost two decades because sake is a drink with many variations and can be paired with any type of cuisine.”
The number of sake breweries have increased not only in Brazil but throughout the Americas, in Canada, Mexico, Chile, and over 30 sake breweries in the United States alone. Brian Polen, Co-Founder & President/CEO of Brooklyn Kura, a sake brewery in North America, highlighted the significance of local production, saying, “Locally produced sake is critical in introducing consumers to the complexity, craftsmanship, and beauty of sake production. Local breweries act as gateways to imported products, giving consumers the confidence to buy (and drink) more sake.”
In fiscal year 2023, sake exports reached a record high, shipped to 75 countries and regions, amounting to approximately 3.2 million 9-liter cases and JPY 41.1 billion. The market size in North America has grown 2.2 times and Central and South America 2.4 times over the past decade, with the total reaching JPY 10 billion for the Americas in 2023. From January to August 2024, sake exports to the Americas continued to grow, recording 132% year-on-year and representing 31% of total sake exports.
While sake exports are increasing and local production is spreading across North, Central, and South America, the scale of sake importers in Central and South America remains relatively small, with many products imported via dry containers. Manager Higuchi of JSS stated, “As interest in sake continues to rise and the number of market players is expected to grow, we reaffirmed the importance of knowledge dissemination and education. In particular, it is essential to continuously emphasize the importance of UV protection and refrigeration during transport and storage.” JSS plans to continue showcasing the diversity and enjoyment of sake through masterclasses at international exhibitions and events around the world.
