Japanese beverage industry revitalization initiatives

Major players in the Japanese beverage industry have launched separate initiatives to revitalize domestic alcohol consumption and reach new consumer demographics.

In October 2026, Suntory, Mans Wine, and Mercian announced a three-year collaborative project titled ‘Discover, Japan Wine’. Running from 2026 to 2028, the initiative seeks to increase the number of domestic wine drinkers to 150% of 2025 levels. The project focuses on urban areas, restaurants, and production regions to dispel outdated perceptions of Japanese wine and expand wine tourism.

Concurrently, six commercial liquor wholesalers, including Enomoto Shurui, launched the ‘Dashi-wari Project’ to promote sake consumption. Starting in late November 2026 in the Tokyo and Kansai regions, the project encourages mixing sake with savory broths like oden dashi or ramen broth. In collaboration with Kiku Masamune Sake Brewing, the group developed a specific brand, ‘Kikkahai’, optimized for this method, aiming to introduce the concept to 1,000 establishments in its first year.