Global Transformation of Sake (Sake Future Summit 2022)

Feb 28, 2023

The podcast features Marie Chiba and Hitoshi Utsunomiya discussing cutting edge Sake & Food Pairing. They explore the challenges of establishing a new local customer base, changing customer expectations during the pandemic, and adapting through education and content. They also emphasize the importance of connecting sake with familiar dishes, differentiating their brand in the home market, and looking forward to future opportunities in the sake industry.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

The Global Transformation of Sake

02:55 • 20min

Challenges and Rewards of Establishing a New Local Customer Base

23:04 • 2min

Changing Customer Expectations and Rebranding During the Pandemic

24:35 • 9min

Adapting During the Pandemic: Shifting Focus to Education and Content

33:37 • 24min

Connecting Sake with Local Food

57:46 • 16min

Differentiating Their Brand in the Home Market

01:13:59 • 4min

Wrapping up and Looking Forward

01:17:37 • 2min

Exploring the Future of Sake and Embracing New Discoveries

01:19:25 • 3min

Back in January across two weekends, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association hosted the second iteration of the Sake Future Summit. (The first was held back in 2020). For those that missed it, now is as good of a time as ever to catch up!There were a handful of sessions conducted in Japanese (with English subtitles) that will require you to set aside a bit of time to read along. These include programs on, “Cutting Edge Sake & Food Pairing” with Marie Chiba (EUREKA!) and Hitoshi Utsunomiya (JSS), “Challenging Tradition & Innovation”" with Choubei Yamamoto (Kaze no Mori) and Norimasa Yamamoto (KID), “Shochu as a Global Beverage” with Julia Momose (Bar Kumiko), Shuzo Nagumo (Spirits & Sharing), and Marico Kojima (JSS), and plenty more.While the above programs will be infinitely tied to YouTube for most of our listeners, there were also a handful of thoughtful sessions conducted entirely in English. For those that find podcasts to be a more enjoyable way to absorb their sake and shochu info, we’ve decided to compile a handful of these into the good ol’ standard podcast format for your listening pleasure.This week we bring you the session that kicked off this year’s Sake Future Summit, “The Global Transformation of Sake”, featuring Monica Samuels (Vine Connections/Kome Collective), Lorenzo Ferraboschi (Sake Company), and Hugo Chan (Sake Central), mediated by your regular SOA host, Justin Potts.If you finish up this show and are eager to dive into more sake and shochu-related discussion, you can head over to the official JSS YouTube channel for all of these sessions, and more. At the same time, if you’re looking for updates @sakeonair, you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Don’t hesitate to also share any other sake or shochu-related thoughts with the hosts at questions@sakeonair.com and rate us on the podcast service of your choice while you’re at it.We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air before you know it.Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by Potts.K Productions with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.