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EJC Insight
July 2005
The growing popularity of vinegar drinks
EJC - Your Global Research Partner
Vinegar-based drinks have recently
experienced a huge surge in popularity in
Japan. Over the past few years, they have
become one of the fasted-growing markets,
to the point of now being the fourth-largest category within the
functional beverage industry. According to Japan’s leading
vinegar producer, Mizkan Group Co., the market for vinegar
drinks was ¥21.46 billion (£110 million at an exchange rate of
¥196) between March and August 2004, compared to ¥7.57
billion (£3.8 million) for the same period in 2000.
Scientific research published over the past two years has shown
that the acetic acid in vinegar is effective in lowering diseases
such as high blood pressure, a common complaint in Japan due
to stressful lifestyles.
There are currently three main types of vinegar-based drinks,
based on different ingredients: kurosu (or black vinegar drinks),
moromisu (based on vinegar made from moromi, a by-product of
Awamori, Okinawa’s traditional sake), or fruit vinegar drinks.
Purple-fleshed sweet
potato vinegar drinks
The popularity of kurosu has grown
since the Agriculture, Forestry and
Fishing Ministry established
standards for products which could
be called ‘black vinegar’ in 2004.
An additional attraction of black
vinegar drinks is that they taste
better than ordinary vinegars,
making them easier to drink.
Moromisu was originally a local
delicacy from Okinawa, but has
since become popular throughout
Japan thanks to its high
concentration of citric acid, amino
acids, vitamins and minerals.
The most popular vinegar-based
Black vinegar and
drinks, however, are those made
moromisu drinks
with fruit vinegars. These are made
from fermented fruits and are then diluted with water. They now
come in many flavours, including apple, grape, raspberry, lychee,
cranberry, mango, blueberry and sweet potato. These drinks are
especially popular among young women in their twenties and
thirties.
Vinegar-based drinks can be found in various department stores in
Japan, where they are sold by staff
The Europe Japan Centre
who call themselves ‘vinegar
specializes in conducting
sommeliers’ and suggest to
research in the Asia
customers new ways of enjoying
Pacific region. With a
vinegar, such as combining it with
large network of
ice cream or yogurt.
associates throughout the
The continuous development of
whole region, we offer
new flavours and ready-to-drink
high-quality, local and
‘vinegar waters’ – where the
personalized research
vinegar is already mixed with
services at competitive
water – suggest that these products
prices.
will be popular for a long time.
Europe Japan Centre Ltd. 70 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2GF (t) +44-(0)20-7287-8605 (f) +44-(0)20-7287-8607 (hp) www.ejc.co.uk