Hailing from Nagano Prefecture, Japan, Nagano Brewery Wholesaler displayed its alcoholic and non-alcoholic Sake at Sial India 2024 at IICC (Yashobhoomi), Dwarka, Delhi. The six-year-old company that recently ventured into exports visited India for the first time. According to Masahiro Mashima, senior managing director of the company, the Sake-makers received positive feedback at the Delhi show.
Sake is an integral part of Japanese culture and is consumed often, from celebrations to sacred rituals. The beverage is made from fermented rice and water and can also be called rice wine or saki. The alcoholic version tastes a little bitter while non-alcoholic Sake has a sweet flavor. Sake culture in India is an emerging trend, gaining momentum as Japanese cuisine and lifestyle experiences grow in popularity.
Nagano Prefecture is known for its rice production, including Sake rice, and has the second most number of Sake breweries in Japan. Water, which influences the taste of Sake, needs to be natural spring water rich in calcium and magnesium. For making 1 bin of sake (1.8L), about 20 times more water is used. The spring water in Nagano Prefecture is highly desirable for sake-making.
IndiFoodBev visited the Japanese company on the third day of the show. Mashima, while offering samples of the beverages to taste, talked about the growing popularity of sake in different regions. “In Taiwan and Hong Kong, regular sake is more in demand because of its sweet taste but Indians who visited our stand prefer the alcoholic version more.”
He explained that Sake, like many alcoholic beverages, is an acquired taste. “The show was an eye-opener. It enabled us to identify what products would suit the taste palette of our future consumers in India. Also, we were able to engage with them directly and gather feedback. Non-alcoholic Sake is not much preferred at the moment but for our alcoholic range, the Indian market has huge potential,” he said.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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