SAKE CONSUMER ANALYSIS
Having developed a comprehensive industry education program for sake,
the WSET was interested to see what level of interest there is in sake
education among wine consumers. Interest in sake education was high in
all three markets, with informal formats attracting the most interest. The
most popular idea in all three markets was themed sake and food matching
evenings at a restaurant (61% of Chinese wine consumers said they would
be likely to attend this kind of event to learn more about sake, compared
to 31% in the USA and 21% in the UK).
HOW MANY TIMES
HAVE YOU HAD SAKE
IN THE PAST YEAR?
WINE DRINKERS - UK
6%
3+ TIMES
14%
The number for the UK may seem low, but this suggests that although
only 4 million wine drinkers have had sake in the last year, as many as 6
million would be interested to be introduced to the product in a fun setting.
Formal industry-directed education was less popular (reflecting the higher
level of commitment required), but even in the UK, encouragingly large
numbers of respondents indicated an interest in structured sake education
(12%, or 3.6 million people).
ONCE
61%
NEVER
WINE DRINKERS - USA
One further thought. Taking the reported level of sake consumption as
accurate, and matching with import and production statistics in these markets,
the average amount of sake consumed on each sake-drinking occasion is
a maximum of 33ml in the UK and about 300ml in the USA (including
domestic production). This is just a few sips in the UK! (Unless people in
the surv