Japanese sake is becoming increasingly popular overseas, but there are still some hurdles to its wider adoption. These include being unable to read the Japanese labels, a problem even faced by Japanese consumers, who find some of them too abstract or difficult to remember.
No matter how good a sake may be, if the label is unreadable, consumers will fail to make a memorable connection and want to try it again.
We sought to remedy this problem by developing the smartphone app Sakenomy, a multilingual solution which offers a platform for breweries to share information about their products, doing away with difficulties associated with unclear labels.
The consumer simply photographs a label to search for data on the sake and brewery, and then save their favourites to their account. Restaurants can also use the app as a resource to learn about the best storage and serving temperature, as well as recommended food pairings.
By allowing breweries to directly communicate with consumers and gauge their reaction, this platform is creating a new market for sake consumption.