The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO)

Swirl & Market undertook a project with JFOODO to promote Japanese wine in the UK and USA. We also provided strategic consultancy on wine style, pricing and marketing to Japanese wine producers. Despite the challenging environment, Japan is an exciting and distinctive emerging terroir for wine. The Japanese have been making wine since the1860s but it is relatively unknown outside of Japan. 

Our Mission: 

With the boom in aspiration and domestic production since 2000s, but almost zero awareness of Japan as a wine nation, our mission was to assist producers in understanding their positioning in export markets, and to start to tell the compelling story of Japanese wine as a match for the Japanese as for world cuisine. 

What We Did:

• Our Master of Wine conducted a research trip to Japan, across prefectures, tasting extensively
• Provided feedback on the most promising styles and those appealing most to export markets
• Shared details of wine, culture, dining experiences on social media to build curiosity
• Created content for consumer and trade press
• Garnered press in Decanter and Wine Spectator articles telling the story, through accessible, engaging, lifestyle and gastronomy content
• Drinks Business published an extended Japan Report