Japanese Shochu and Awamori
Culture
Japan Sake and Shochu Fair 2026 Launches in Osaka <cite index="1-1,1-3">The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association launched the first-ever Japan Sake and Shochu Fair in June 2026, celebrating sake, honkaku shochu, and awamori which have recently been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.</cite> <cite index="1-4,1-6">The two-day event featured tastings, bottle sales, cultural exhibits, hands-on workshops, and food pairings showcasing the harmony between traditional spirits and Japanese cuisine.</cite> via Japan Travel
Image via Japan Travel
Shochu Live 2026 Festival Features 40 Different Shochus in California <cite index="6-7,6-13">Shochu Live 2026 featured 12 distilleries and importers offering tastings of 40 different shochus, with six distilleries flying in from southern Japan including Osuzuyama, Yanagita, Hamada, Higa, and Kirishima.</cite> <cite index="6-11,6-12">The festival showcased bottles new to the U.S. market, including Nankai Imo Black made by cult imo shochu maker Oyama Jinshichi Shoten.</cite> via Umami Mart
Image via Umami Mart
Awards
Miley Kendrick Wins Great Honkaku Shochu and Awamori Contest 2026 <cite index="8-1,8-6">Miley Kendrick of the Domino Club in Leeds won The Great Honkaku Shochu and Awamori Contest 2026 with her cocktail 'What's The Story with Awamori?' featuring Yokka Koji Awamori, paired with oyster shell-infused dry vermouth, lemon bitters and a rinse of smoky Scotch.</cite> <cite index="8-3,8-5">The competition, now in its fifth year, was organized by the UK Bartenders' Guild in partnership with the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, with the final held on March 9 at The Caley Bar in Edinburgh.</cite> via The Spirits Business
Image via The Spirits Business
Korean Sool
Export
Korean Fruit Soju Exports Top $100 Million for First Time <cite index="26-1">Exports of fruit-flavored soju, a sweeter, lower-alcohol twist on South Korea's traditional spirit, topped $100 million for the first time last year, as younger overseas consumers exposed to Korean entertainment embraced the drink as a new K trend, helping offset sluggish demand at home.</cite> via KED Global
Image via KED Global
MAKKU Craft Makgeolli Sales Double in U.S. Market <cite index="20-7,20-8">Carol Pak, founder and CEO of MAKKU craft makgeolli and SOKU sparkling soju cocktails, is projected to sell 80,000 cases this year in the U.S., doubling what her company sold in 2021, attributing the growth to the Korean wave (hallyu) and entrepreneurial second-generation Korean Americans.</cite> <cite index="20-2,20-4">Soju and makgeolli are gaining highbrow credibility thanks to a network of restaurants and distributors, with products being rebranded in minimalist, artisanal tones pointing toward a refined sipping experience.</cite> via Secret Menu Magazine
Image via Secret Menu Magazine
Market
Korean Soju Market Projected to Reach $9.1 Billion by 2034 <cite index="27-3,27-1">The Korean Soju market is projected to grow from USD 6.3 billion in 2026 to USD 9.1 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period, with the market experiencing a shift toward premium product offerings and craft-style variants.</cite> <cite index="27-11,27-12">Global soju exports grew by 23% year-over-year in 2022, with premium soju brands now available in over 80 countries, showing particularly strong growth in North America and Southeast Asia.</cite> via Intel Market Research
Across the Industry
Research
Koji Fermentation Research Reveals Substrate-Dependent Aroma Development <cite index="32-1,32-2">A new study provides one of the first GC-MS-resolved characterizations of volatile formation during Aspergillus oryzae koji fermentation of cereal brans and oilseed press-cake side-streams, demonstrating how substrate composition, enzyme-driven substrate conversion, and dynamic moisture evolution jointly shape metabolic and aroma outcomes.</cite> <cite index="32-4,32-5">Fermentation outcomes in solid-state fermentation are strongly shaped by substrate composition and process parameters including moisture content, temperature, oxygen availability, and fermentation time, which regulate microbial growth and metabolic activity.</cite> via Frontiers in Microbiology
Image via Frontiers in Microbiology
Barley Koji Research Published on Brewing Applications <cite index="35-2,35-3">New research published in April 2026 shows koji has long been used in Japan to supply enzymes, flavors, and nutrients for traditional fermented food and beverages, with its application to brewing offering a unique, versatile, and innovative alternative to specialty malts.</cite> <cite index="35-4">The study assessed the brewing suitability of kilned barley koji produced with a barley-koji strain of Aspergillus oryzae by evaluating the effects of steeping times and solid-state fermentation durations on malt quality and metabolomic profiles.</cite> via Taylor & Francis Online
Production
Fermtech Raises £2.5m for Koji Cocoa Technology <cite index="33-3">Fermtech raised £2.5m seed funding to scale Koji Cocoa technology, which uses fermentation to unlock value from cocoa side streams, delivering 25%-33% cost savings and up to 98% emissions reduction while preserving cocoa flavour without extra farmland.</cite> The technology addresses cocoa supply issues and price shocks affecting food and beverage manufacturers. via Food Navigator
Image via Food Navigator