CLEAR’s sake brand “SAKE HUNDRED” sells sake at a high price range of tens of thousands of yen to hundreds of thousands of yen in the general liquor industry for a few thousand yen. The strategy will be different from other companies, including providing a 16 million yen sake brewery tour in July this year. The total sales last year (23 years), five years after the launch of the brand, achieved 4 billion yen.
SAKE HUNDRED Brand owner Ryuji Ikoma
SAKE HUNDRED, a pioneer in the luxury sake market, has updated the flagship sake “Byakko” and will appear as “Shin-Byakko” in winter. So, this time, along with the brand’s strategy, we asked Mr. Ryuji Ikoma, the brand owner, about the commitment to Byakko.
A sake brand that provides value beyond the deliciousness
“Sake Hundred” is a luxury sake brand with “filling your heart and coloring your life” as a brand per person. By providing value beyond specifications and deliciousness, the appeal of sake will be transmitted to the world.
So, what is the value that exceeds the specifications and deliciousness?
“Buy a watch band ( in Hermes )” is the act that ends in 30 minutes. I put it my calendar since 1 week ago. Feeling the excitement just stepping into the shop and becoming high when you finally purchased it and wishing to share with someone. This is the luxury brand. What Hermes provided me is the crush and color of life, which is more than the function as a watch band.
“This is it. If this can be done with sake, you can go beyond the amount and market wall. I love sake and do this job. I always think that the answer is to make a luxurious brand with emotional value.
The shipment of sake has peaked in 1973, and the sake market is shrinking year by year. In order to make this look up, Ikoma created Sake Hundred, aiming for a brand that is evaluated as a luxury indicator in the global market.
Sake “Byakko” that pioneered the times
The first thing that the brand worked on was the sake called “Byakko”. Despite the high price range of 38,500 yen, 70,000 applicants were flooded with 10,000 lottery sales in 2024 brewing. It can be said that it is a difficult sake that is difficult to obtain.
Byakko (38,500 yen)
In fact, at the time of the release in 2018, I saw hundreds of light, but I was surprised at the price of 16,800 yen (now 38,500 yen) and could not be purchased. If you tell Mr. Ikoma about that …
“What surprised me was a place where we could feel a response to us. First of all, if you are not surprised, it will not spread to the market.” Why is it less 20,000 to drink delicious food for 5,000 yen? I think that the market will never change unless you do something surprising, and the consumer consciousness will not change.
“I wrote this liquor as light, but I thought that it would be light until 100 years from 100 years, and I made it with a clear intention to make a new 100 years of the sake industry. The times change the times, but they decided to make a turning point in history.
“Since we must always open that era, the price will be updated along with the quality. Now, if you look around, there are a lot of sake of 20,000 to 30,000 yen. However, we think that we should always be at the forefront of that era, because we can still sell for 16,800 yen. Because we are raising the amount, we are making things that are reliable. “
Sake that provides “value in the middle”
So what kind of sake is it?
“In order to become an existence to open up the market, it’s not good for a changing ball. It’s absolutely no good to say that there is a habit or a strange” something interesting “. It needs to be provided. “
What is the “value in the middle”?
“It’s the taste of rice. It’s umami, it’s transparent, sweet, and it grows lightly in the second half. It’s a product that enhances the purity of sake’s essence. Beginner and expert. “It’s a liquor that I think it’s definitely delicious no matter who you drink.”
In order to give a sense of transparency, it is necessary to polish the rice, but it is often impossible to feel the taste of rice. But Ikoma says that it is Homiko who realized the balance. It is said that it is 18%of the rice polishing walk, but it is finished with fresh sweetness, plump umami, and a clear taste that does not make you feel unwanted when included in the mouth.
I was actually tasted, but I was surprised at the thickness, soft texture, gorgeous scent, and umami that I could not imagine as 18%for rice polishing. This flagship liquor won the first gold prize in the world’s largest wine contest “IWC (International Wine Challenge) 2019”. Since then, he has won more than 10 awards in the world in five years.
Sales strategy to win in a fierce battlefield
“My policy is the world’s largest sake battlefield in the world. My policy is that a brand that can’t win in a fierce battlefield can’t win in the world,” said Sake Hundred, who first solidified the ground in Japan. So how did you increase your sales? The answer was simple.
“It’s effort and guts. I’m just doing business anyway. Just because I am aiming for a luxury brand, I don’t do it elegantly, and there is a tremendous sales effort behind the scenes.”
At the time of its founding, it is often said that when you bring Homukko, “high sake cannot be sold.” But he did not fall.
“We didn’t sell high sake. We didn’t have it. We sell because we want to do it. I’m sorry that I’m so confident that I can’t be recognized. There was no dent or shaking, “said his enthusiasm.
Later, he continued to convey his charm steadily and enthusiastically, focusing on luxury hotels and Michelin’s stars, which are said to be top -notch. Then, the value is gradually recognized, and it will be listed on the menu of each store. It was also provided at the Cannes International Film Festival and the G20 -related conference, and established it.
“Byakko” that continues to evolve
In this way, “Byakko” became popular as a luxury sake. However, in order to further differentiate from other companies, the “certain ingredients” were changed from the 2024 brewing brewing.
That is the bacterium “seed koji” used when making koji. The important process in sake making is described as “one koji, two, three -built (Ichikoji, nimoto, namoto, making)”, but koji plays the most important role in determining the taste.
“Sake is said to be important, but there are not many choices for seed koji used for sake brewing,” said Ikoma.
Therefore, SAKE HUNDRED tried to make original seed koji with the cooperation of seed koji shops, and to differentiate from raw materials. In Byakko, it is said that the use of the original seed koji achieves a more ideal taste.
“It may be said that it is only good (only for brands that do not have a sake brewery). However, he takes the PDCA to bring a seed koji made, and tells him that it is delicious. I’m always doing new things, not only in sales and branding, but also on research. “
Sake Hundred does not have a sake brewery, but in fact employees are working at Tokyo University of Agriculture as a corporate research student. Like koji, there are bacteria called “yeast”, which greatly affect the flavor of sake, but this bacterium is often found in natural worlds such as soil, trees and leaves. Ikoma suggests that they collect them themselves and create them as original yeast. The brand is desperately conducting research in the future to create a new dish.
How to enjoy “Byakko”
“Basically, I hope you can take a way to think that the customer is delicious, but the lower the temperature, the lower the temperature will sharpen the sweetness. A little acid will be a very good balance. In the freezer. If you put it in and drink it when it is about 2 degrees to minus 5 degrees, it becomes a sharp taste and it is the best to raise the temperature naturally at the room temperature. I want you to enjoy that change.
So what if you match it with the food?
“Shine muscat is easy and definitely pairing. In addition, fruits such as peaches that have a refreshing and sweet and sour sour taste are also recommended.
What is your future prospects?
“I would like to continue to make (product) with original yeast, and we will continue to develop yeast. I think “
Asked about real stores that have been abandoned due to the expansion of the new colon virus, “Brand creation is also a set of real experiences. I want to be the one to provide this time,” He told me.
SAKE HUNDRED, which crosses sake brands and aims for the world’s luxury brands, will continue to illuminate 100 years ahead.